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Former President Donald Trump’s 18-year-old son, Barron, has declined an offer from the Florida Republican Party to serve as a delegate to his father’s nominating convention in July.

“While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments,” a spokesperson for former First Lady Melania Trump’s office said in a statement on Friday, according to CBS News.

Barron Trump was one of four of Trump’s children named as a Florida delegate this week, along with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump. Eric Trump will lead the delegation in Milwaukee, and Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, was chosen to co-lead the party platform committee.

Barron Trump, who is scheduled to receive his high school diploma on May 17, would have been making his official debut as a political figure with the appointment.

Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social site that his election interference trial in New York could force him to miss Barron’s graduation, though the judge in the case told lawyers that the Friday date should not be a problem.

Trump is scheduled to appear at a Minnesota GOP dinner that same day, according to radio station KFGO.

 

Hawaii may be famous for its crystalline waters, multi-hued beaches, lush rainforests and Polynesian vibe, but its cowboy culture is not to be missed.

Heaps of delicious food and dancing usually translate to a luau in Hawaii, but on the Big Island, it can also mean the Paniolo Sunset BBQ dinner in the rolling green pastures of Waimea. The weekly dinner and dancing event at Kahua Ranch is inspired by the Hawaiian Islands’ long history of cattle ranching, which reaches all the way back to King Kamehameha I.

The view from Kahua Ranch stretches across rolling green pastures all the way to the ocean. (photo by Darleene Powells)

In an entertaining account from Big Island country singer Dave Toland, cattle arrived in the Hawaiian Islands as a gift from British explorer Captain George Vancouver to the king in the late 1700s. That one bull and six cows grew to become a major industry out of Hawaii, which is historically better known for its sugar cane plantations.

‘Paniolo’ refers to cowboys in Hawaiian, and according to Toland, the word came from the interaction between Mexican vaqueros who arrived to assist the burgeoning industry and Hawaiians who did not yet know how to wrangle cattle.

“When them vaqueros came over here, they were called Espanols, and they spoke what they call Espanol,” Toland said. “Well, they couldn’t speak a word of Hawaiian. And them Hawaiian folks, they couldn’t speak one word of Espanol. And the problem is that in the Hawaiian alphabet, there ain’t no S. So when the Hawaiians tried to pronounce Espanol, it came out paniolo.”

Two people pose as a third snaps a photo of them against the setting sun on the Big Island of Hawaii. (photo by Darleene Powells)

I heard the brief history lesson over the flames of a fire pit, not far from an overlook with expansive views of rolling green hills stretching all the way to the ocean. The views can deliver spectacular sunsets thanks to Hawaii microclimates that can bring cream puff clouds over the horizon and, occasionally, a rainbow over the hills.

Dinner, eaten at communal tables, is a tightly curated menu of delicious offerings – prime rib, barbecue chicken, asparagus, potatoes, baked beans, sweet rolls and salad. Dessert recently included thick brownie slabs and macadamia nut pie. Alcohol is served at a cash bar, while water, canned sodas and fruit juices, coffee, and hot chocolate are free.

The plates are heaped high with food at the Paniolo Sunset BBQ dinner on the Big Island of Hawaii. (photo by Darleene Powells)

Multiple trips to the food table are encouraged, but given the large oval plates and heaping servings given on the first round, another trip may not be necessary. All that food can be worked off with some line dancing to live music, a game of horseshoes or cornhole, or attempting to learn how to rope a steer. Attendees can also brand a piece of wood as a souvenir, grab a freshly made s’more, or take advantage of the 2,000-foot elevation to view the stars  – if they’re lucky, an astronomer might be on hand with a powerful telescope.

Guests of the Paniolo Sunset BBQ Dinner enjoy some line dancing after the meal. (photo by Darleene Powells)

The three-hour dinner is priced at $85 per adult and $42.50 per child over 5 years old. For comparison, admission to a luau on the Big Island starts at $130+ per person.

Most of the year, the Paniolo Sunset BBQ Dinner occurs weekly on Wednesdays, but Monday nights are added during the summer tourist season. Reservations must be made in advance online.

General Daily Insight for May 10, 2024

Today, we’re all prone to emotional frustration. As the tightly wound Gemini Moon squares repressive Saturn, answers probably won’t come as quickly as we want them. The bright side is that when Luna sextiles verbal Mercury, this delay might give us an opportunity to articulate our concerns. Still, our imaginations can run away with us while the Moon squares hazy Neptune. Once Luna slips into comfortable Cancer at 11:13 pm EDT, things could get less complicated. Resolution may be as simple as following what feels good!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Small talk could fail to satisfy your need for connection. Pushing yourself to engage with the people around you in a lighthearted way might make you feel worse, since it risks making you increasingly aware of some heavy subject that you’re doing your best to avoid discussing. Quality is probably more important than quantity in your ongoing interactions. After the sensitive Moon shifts into your nourishing 4th house, identify who you can let your hair down with. Focus your efforts there.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Your insecurities could be at a high point now. As the anxious Moon in your 2nd House of Resources snaps at judgy Saturn in your friendship zone, you may feel like there’s something wrong with you because you haven’t met certain financial milestones that your peers apparently have. It’s also probably tough to get a totally accurate view of what’s going on with your pals. Journaling or talking out your fears with a neutral third party can help you see how realistic they are.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Power struggles are likely at the moment. You may feel held back by some authority figure who isn’t willing to give you straight answers. This person could maintain control of their perceived turf by keeping key information vague. After the attentive Moon moves into your resource zone, you might have a better grasp on the possibilities that are within your territory. Although this won’t necessarily give you the thrill of a dramatic confrontation, it can at least bring you achievable progress.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Holding yourself to a strict belief system could fuel your insecurities at present. Paradoxically, while the nervous Moon in your fearful 12th house agitates fuzzy Neptune in your philosophy zone, some of these same views may not even be very well defined. Looking harder for clarity might ask something from you — you’ll probably have to use thoughtful discernment to decide which of your past opinions you still agree with. As a result, however, you should end up able to carry yourself with greater confidence!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Maintaining boundaries with your friends could be awkward at the moment. As the curious Moon in your wide-open 11th house provokes cagey Saturn in your intimacy sector, maybe you’d be okay with a particular pal knowing a specific piece of personal information about you under different circumstances. Right now, though, the context of your conversation could set off inner alarms. Taking the issue up in private might be useful. This is an opportunity to clarify expectations in a way that can ultimately strengthen your relationship.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

An emotional power play may set the tone in a close relationship of yours at this time. You could feel compelled to relax a boundary of yours because it upsets the other person too much. Once the impressionable Moon enters your 11th House of Community, you might want to ask around to find out whether this dynamic is common among your peers. You’re not required to copy your community exactly, but solely knowing where the normal lines are could validate your impressions.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

A longing for adventure could tempt you away from today’s responsibilities. The real problem is possibly that you feel like you aren’t getting enough results to show for the work you regularly put in. After the perceptive Moon pivots into your powerful 10th house, you may want to shine some light on your larger goals and how your daily tasks bring you closer to meeting them. Feeling like you have more connection to the outcome you experience should boost your motivation!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You may be emotionally wound up about a difficult problem at this time. Although your effort to resolve things is likely making slow progress, it’s okay if a complete fix just isn’t currently possible. Once the potent Moon powers into your 9th House of Travel, a change of scenery might succeed in helping you break out of a mental rut. Merely seeing that life goes on in the rest of the world in spite of whatever is bothering you could give you valuable perspective.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Rigid roles could be sucking the air out of a close relationship of yours. Maybe you find it comforting to know exactly what’s expected of you. If you find yourself getting easily irritated with the other person, though, it’s possible that you’re also bored with the status quo. It’s hard to know in advance exactly what will happen if you take the risk of sharing that feeling. All things considered, the potential reward is at least worth chewing on in your thoughts.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You’re capable of intense focus on your work today. As the devoted Moon in your productive 6th house conflicts with reserved Saturn in your communication sector, perhaps you’re honestly just quite fascinated with what you’re doing — you probably don’t intend for your avoidance of conversation to be seen as a personal attack against anyone else. That said, a loved one might still feel slighted because they crave your attention. Consider intentionally making time for them when you’re done with your tasks.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Worries regarding money could cut into your ability to have fun at the moment. Before you can do anything about the issue, you may need to admit, at least to yourself, that this upsets you. Repressing your fears won’t make them go away — especially if they’re founded in legitimate concerns! Once the nurturing Moon shifts into your practical 6th house, you’ll likely see some potential solutions. Taking action, no matter how small, should allow you to get a better grip on the situation.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

You may currently be conflicted about the image you want to portray to the world. Perhaps you’d like to be seen as nurturing and caring. However, you might realize a more serious persona is necessary to achieve the practical results you seek. Although your deliberations could be focused on what seems to be best for everyone else, you’d be wise to look inward as well. Other people have their own lives, and you deserve freedom to express your whole self — including your softer side!

GAINESVILLE — Florida lacrosse star Emily Heller arrived May 29, 2001, one minute prior to sister Hannah as their mother, Diane, delivered twins via C-section.

The race was on.

These days, the No. 9 Gators are following the lead of the two speedy sisters.

The Hellers’ competitive spirit, athletic prowess and unwavering connection have helped spur Amanda O’Leary’s senior-laden squad to a school-record 17-game winning streak entering Friday’s NCAA Tournament opener with No. 16 UNC — the last team to defeat UF, 19-10, on Feb. 17.

“It was eating me all season; that’s the game I like wanted back so badly,” Emily Heller told The Orlando Sentinel. “There’s not many chances where you get to redeem yourself.”

Hannah Heller (left) and twin sister Emily share a moment during the Gators’ game against Arizona State on March 3. (Courtesy of UF’s University Athletic Association)

Even rarer are twin sisters who spent four seasons at different schools before reuniting for one last hurrah.

The NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver allowed Hannah Heller to transfer from UMass to UF, where her “older” sister had evolved into one of the most complete players in school history.

“We never planned on playing together again,” Hannah said. “I’m very grateful. It almost gives you like flashbacks to high school and when we were younger.”

During separate interviews staged an hour apart, the sisters called the experience, “a full-circle moment” — an example of the Hellers’ penchant to echo each other.

“I feel like I almost know what she’s thinking,” Emily said.

Florida midfielder Emily Heller is one of three players in program history with 100 goals, 100 ground balls and 200 draw controls. (Courtesy of UF’s University Athletic Association)

Together, the Hellers have spelled double trouble for Florida’s foes.

Emily is one of three players in program history with 100 goals, 100 ground balls and 200 draw controls.

“I like to do a little bit of everything,” she said. “I help out where it’s needed — just be everywhere.”

Hannah is a lockdown defender also able to ignite the Gators’ transition game through the midfield.

“Hannah has the ability to shut down any attacker that she wants,” O’Leary said.

The Hellers’ games are built on grit, athleticism and alacrity.

“There’s one common question that always everyone asks is, ‘Who’s faster?’” Hannah said.

Florida midfielder Hannah Heller has been a defensive stalwart for the No. 9 Gators, winners of a school-record 17 straight games entering a matchup with No. 16 UNC to open the NCAA Tournament. (Courtesy of UF’s University Athletic Association Communications)

Emily doesn’t give an inch to anyone, even her twin. She also gives credit where due.

“Em doesn’t like to lose at anything,” O’Leary said. “But I’m glad she gave Hannah the nod, because she’s faster.”

The Hellers have pushed each other since Day 1, with a future together in sports preordained at their West Babylon, N.Y. home.

Mike, their father, played football at Penn State as did his brother Ron, who went on to play offensive tackle for 12 NFL seasons. Emily’s and Hannah’s paternal grandfather has grandchildren who earned Division I scholarships.

Early on, the twins played soccer and basketball before trying lacrosse in the third grade.

“I didn’t necessarily want to do it, but Emily was like, ‘No, we’re going to do it,’” Hannah recalled. “I was like, ‘OK, whatever, we’ll just do the same thing.’”

Success, scholarship offers and ultimately a difficult decision followed. After making official visits together, the Hellers chose different paths.

Hannah opted for UMass, four hours north of their Long Island home and less than 25,000 students for a more intimate setting. Emily headed a 1,000 miles south to a massive university with an athletic department anchored by a big-time football program.

The Hellers overcame separation anxiety to excel in new surroundings. Yet, the chance to play together again offered a fitting climax to their careers.

“We’re both our own person,” Hannah said. “But we complete each other, too.”

O’Leary calls the reunion, “a dream come true for the parents.”

The Gators aim to keep their dream season alive. Since 13-12 overtime win Feb. 24 against No. 5 Maryland ignited the record run, Florida has outscored opponents by an average of 13 goals.

“I love the wave that we’re riding,” O’Leary said.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

By AAMER MADHANI, ZEKE MILLER and JULIA FRANKEL (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have long managed a complicated relationship, but they’re running out of space to maneuver as their views on the Gaza war diverge and their political futures hang in the balance.

Their ties have hit a low point as Biden holds up the delivery of heavy bombs to Israel — and warns that the provision of artillery and other weaponry also could be suspended if Netanyahu moves forward with a widescale operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Netanyahu, for his part, is brushing off Biden’s warnings and vowing to press ahead, saying, “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone.”

“If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails,” he said.

Biden has long prided himself on being able to manage Netanyahu more with carrots than sticks. But the escalation of friction over the past seven months suggests that his approach may be long past its best-by date.

With both men balancing an explosive Mideast situation against their own domestic political problems, Netanyahu has grown increasingly resistant to Biden’s public charm offensives and private pleading, prompting the president’s more assertive pushback in the past several weeks.

“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem,” Biden said in a CNN interview Wednesday, laying bare his growing differences with Netanyahu.

Biden aides nonetheless insist the president is unwilling to allow the U.S.-Israel relationship to truly rupture on his watch. They cite not only the political imperative — a majority of Americans support Israel — but also Biden’s personal history with the country and his belief in its right to defend itself.

The president’s aides, watching how pro-Palestinian protests have roiled his party and the college campuses that have been breeding grounds for Democratic voters, have mused for months that Biden could be the last classically pro-Israel Democrat in the White House.

Their optimism about their ability to contain Netanyahu may be falling into the same trap that has vexed a long line of American presidents who have clashed with the Israeli leader over the decades.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Thursday declined to say whether Biden informed Netanyahu of his decision to suspend shipment of 3,500 bombs when the leaders spoke earlier this week. But he said Biden has been “direct and forthright” with Netanyahu about his concerns.

Biden and Netanyahu have known each other since Biden was a young senator and Netanyahu was a senior official in Israel’s embassy in Washington.

They’ve hit rough patches before.

There were differences over Israel building settlements in the West Bank during Barack Obama’s administration when Biden was vice president. Later, Netanyahu vehemently opposed Biden’s push to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal sealed by Obama and scrapped by Donald Trump. Netanyahu chafed at Biden prodding him to de-escalate tensions during Israel’s bloody 11-day war with Hamas in 2021.

The leaders went more than a month earlier this year without talking as Biden’s frustration with Netanyahu grew over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The relationship remained workable despite such differences between the center-left Democrat and the leader of the most far-right coalition government in Israel’s history.

But with the Biden-Netanyahu relationship now coming under greater strain than ever before, it is unclear how the leaders will move forward.

Netanyahu is caught between public pressure for a hostage deal and hard-liners in his coalition who want him to expand the Rafah invasion, despite global alarm about the harm it could do to some 1.3 million Palestinians sheltering there. He’s made clear that he will push forward with a Rafah operation with or without a deal for hostages.

The Israeli leader vowed to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and some 250 were captured and taken hostage. But his public standing has cratered since then, as he faces pressure to find a pathway to a truce that would bring home the remaining hostages and the remains of Israelis who have died in captivity.

He’s resisted an investigation into what led to the intelligence and military failures leading up to the Hamas attack. All the while, he’s still facing legal problems, including a long-running corruption trial in which he is charged with fraud and accepting bribes.

Netanyahu’s political survival may depend on the Rafah offensive. If he reaches a hostage deal that stops short of conquering Rafah, hardliners in his coalition have threatened to topple the government and trigger new elections at a time when opinion polls forecast he would lose.

“To keep his partners on board and prevent them from pre-empting an election, in which Likud will be decimated and he will be turned out of office, he needs to keep the ‘total victory’ myth alive – and that is only possible by avoiding a deal with Hamas,” wrote Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist and author of a Netanyahu biography, in the Haaretz daily.

Aviv Bushinsky, a former spokesman and chief of staff for Netanyahu, said the Israeli leader remains focused on the war’s primary goal – defeating Hamas – because of concerns about his image and legacy.

He said Netanyahu has spent his career branding himself as the “tough guy on terror.”

“He thinks this is how he will be remembered. He’s been promising for a decade to cream Hamas,” Bushinsky said. “If he doesn’t, in his mind he’ll be remembered as the worst prime minister of all time.”

Biden, meanwhile, faces mounting protests from young Americans, a segment of the electorate critical to his reelection. And he’s faced backlash from Muslim Americans, a key voting bloc in the battleground state of Michigan. Some have threatened to withhold their votes in November to protest his administration’s handling of the war.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Biden ally who has been frustrated by the administration’s handling of the war, said Thursday Biden should go further and suspend delivery of all offensive weaponry to Israel.

“The United States does and should stand by its allies, but our allies must also stand by the values and the laws of the United States of America,” Sanders said. “We must use all of our leverage to prevent the catastrophe in Gaza from becoming even worse.”

At the same time, Biden is facing bruising criticism from Republicans, including presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee Trump, who say that his decision to hold back weapons is a betrayal of an essential Mideast ally.

“What Biden is doing with respect to Israel is disgraceful. If any Jewish person voted for Joe Biden, they should be ashamed of themselves. He’s totally abandoned Israel,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.

Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Biden’s move is “simply a nod to the left flank” that is handing “a great victory to Hamas.”

Friction between the U.S. and Israeli leaders is not without precedent.

President George H.W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s relationship was strained as the Republican administration threatened to withhold $10 billion in aid to thwart new settlement activity in the West Bank. Obama and Netanyahu’s relationship was marked by mutual distrust over the Democrat’s effort to reignite the Middle East peace process and forge the Iran nuclear deal.

“There were always workarounds if the heads of government really don’t get along. We may get to that,” said Elliot Abrams, a senior national security official in the George W. Bush administration. “But of course, this may be a sort of problem that solves itself in that one or both of them may be gone from office” in a matter of months.

___

AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami contributed reporting. Frankel reported from Jerusalem.

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON (Associated Press)

Former President Donald Trump is limited in what he can publicly say as he fights charges that he made payments to a porn actor to illegally influence the 2016 election. But he’s getting help from some GOP allies who are glad to show up and talk.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida was the latest surrogate to accompany Trump, joining him Thursday for the 14th day of his hush money trial in New York. Last week, it was Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who joined the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

The Republicans’ courtroom presence can help Trump connect with constituents while he’s stuck in court and feeling the pressure of a gag order placed on him by the judge. Both Scott and Paxton have been through legal troubles of their own, and have railed against what they call politically motivated prosecutions — a message that echoes Trump’s own. And while having friends by one’s side is a common practice encouraged by attorneys to show support for defendants in court, it’s also a chance for Trump’s friends to publicly demonstrate their loyalty to the leader of the GOP.

Scott started his day Thursday as the 6 a.m. guest on the morning show “Fox & Friends.” He later entered the courtroom behind Trump and witnessed the tense exchange between Stormy Daniels and Trump’s defense attorney as they were going over the alleged 2006 sexual encounter between the former president and the porn actor.

The senator filed into the first row of the courtroom gallery behind the defense table, joining Trump’s entourage, and spoke with Trump lawyer and spokesperson Alina Habba before taking a seat.

After an hour and a half, Scott left the courtroom and walked across the street to speak to news outlets. There, he commented on a a subject Trump has been ordered not to, bringing up Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter and saying she was a political operative who raises money for Democrats.

“This is just a bunch of Democrats saying we want to make sure that Donald Trump can’t talk,” Scott said. “Then they’ve got a gag order, so he can’t go campaign. They’ve got him holed up in a courtroom.”

The gag order prohibits Trump from making or directing others to make public statements about people connected to the case, including the judge’s family.

Scott denied his presence had anything to do with the gag order.

“No. I’m fed up,” he said. “This is just simply they don’t want this guy on the ballot.”

Paxton did not speak publicly when he joined Trump last week, but he gave interviews later to Fox Business and Newsmax about the trial, calling it “perversion of justice.”

“This is tyrannical, and to stop him from speaking out and defending himself and keep him from basically campaigning, I think is hard to believe and I hope the American people do not put up with this,” Paxton told Fox Business the day after.

David Weinstein, a legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, said Trump can’t directly or indirectly comment, adding that an indirect comment would include a friend saying something Trump shared or told. But surrogates like Scott are free to speak.

“They can say whatever they want to say. They are not bound by a gag order,” he said.

Weinstein said Trump is not only on trial for the crimes he is charged with, but he’s also before the court of opinion while trying to win an election.

“He can bring other people in, can show constituents of other states that he has the backing of other politicians,” he said. “This is a political and a public relations tactic. It’s got nothing to do with his defense.”

Trump’s attorneys have argued against the gag order, saying the former president should be allowed to respond to Daniels’ testimony. But Merchan on Thursday refused a request to modify it.

Gustavo Lage, a criminal defense attorney, said it is controversial as to what extent this gag order applies.

“I think the court would have a hard time saying that a third party can’t voice their opinion or their feelings about a trial,” Lage said.

As far as connecting with voters by bringing in surrogates and allies, Lage said that should not be relevant in court.

“I don’t think that is something the court could or should control as long as it doesn’t interfere with the administration of justice in the courtroom,” he said.

The Hurricanes lost a member of their 2025 recruiting class Thursday evening.

Three-star offensive lineman Lamar Williams backed off his commitment to Miami, announcing his decision on social media.

“First and foremost, I want to thank Miami for accepting me into the family,” Williams wrote. “After careful consideration, I will be decommiting! This is only to give myself a fair chance to evaluate all options to make sure I am making the best decision for me and my family! My recruitment is 100 percent open. I see a lot of false narratives going around but I can’t focus on that!”

Williams is listed as the No. 40 offensive lineman and the No. 509 player in the class. The Havana, Florida, native committed to UM on Feb. 2.

Miami has six other commitments in the 2025 class but no other offensive linemen yet.

Thank you Miami ! Recruitment is 100 percent open ! pic.twitter.com/kD9ravNxHU

— Lamar Williams (@lamarwilliams52) May 9, 2024

A Margate man accused of shooting his mother to death in late 2019 is asking a Broward judge to dismiss his manslaughter charge because he pulled the trigger in self-defense — during a fight with his father.

It’s an unusual application of the state’s Stand Your Ground law because Alexander DelToro Jr. is claiming he was defending himself from someone other than the person he killed.

“This kid loved his mother more than anything,” said DelToro’s lawyer, Ron Baum. “The last thing he wanted to do was kill anyone, much less her, on his birthday.”

Assistant State Attorney Tom Hand played a recording of the statement DelToro made about what happened on Dec. 14, 2019. DelToro told police he was driving home from a 28th birthday outing with his parents when he accidentally struck his father with his elbow.

That escalated into an argument that continued as the trio went home to the 200 block of Southwest 36th Terrace in Margate. There, the conflict became physical, and DelToro lost his glasses in the struggle.

“You recall [DelToro] senior telling junior that in his younger years he would have knocked him out?” Baum asked Margate Police Sgt. Sean Cobban, who questioned DelToro Jr. in the recording.

“Yes,” Cobban said.

Alexander Deltoro during a stand your ground hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Deltoro is accused of manslaughter in the shooting death of his mother during a dispute with his father. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Baum is arguing that his client went for a gun to protect himself against his father, but he never intended to fire the weapon. His mother tried to break up the fight and was fatally wounded when the gun went off.

Baum also asked repeatedly whether police found another weapon at the DelToro home. Cobban answered no.

DelToro Jr., now 32, did not testify — during Thursday’s hearing, which is scheduled to continue Friday afternoon in front of Broward Circuit Judge Edward Merrigan.

Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.

This weekend will feel like summer, according the National Weather Service, which is forecasting “feels-like” temperatures to reach 104 degrees F in some areas of South Florida.

Daily air temperatures will reach the low- to mid-90s on the coast, and as high as 97 degrees F inland.

Friday will be hot and sunny, reaching 93 degrees F on the coast and 96 degrees F inland.

The heat will peak Saturday. “Temperatures will remain very warm for the end of the week and into the upcoming weekend,” said the NWS, “with peak heat indices around or over 100 degrees across portions of the area through Saturday.”

The heat index combines the actual air temperature with relative humidity levels to create a “feels-like” temperature.

The National Weather Service initiates alerts when the heat index is expected to exceed 105°-110°F (depending on local climate) for at least two consecutive days.

Within the tricounty area, Broward has the highest heat index forecasts for the weekend. Coastal areas will be slightly more tolerable, hovering between 101 and 102 degrees heat index on Saturday, while inland, forecasters are calling for heat indices of 104 in Pembroke Pines, 103 in Weston and 104 in Coral Springs.

Coastal Palm Beach County will hover around 101 degrees heat index, while inland areas could reach 103 on Saturday.

With all the heat and humidity on Saturday, there’s a 40% chance of thunderstorms in the region. West winds could gust to as high as 21 mph.

NWSThis map shows the heat index predictions in Broward County for Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Courtesy NWS)

Sunday, though still hot at 93 degrees F inland, will be less humid, causing heat indexes to drop to the mid 90s in areas of both Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Coastal spots such as Fort Lauderdale will be a touch less hot, with a high of 88 degrees F. It will be mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers.

NWSThis graphic shows the heat index numbers that result from combining actual air temperature and relatively humidity. (Courtesy NWS)

The first part of next week will settle into a summer-like pattern of highs close to 90, and thunderstorms possible here and there.

By ERIC TUCKER (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is concerned that foreign adversaries could deploy artificial intelligence as a means to interfere in American elections and spread disinformation, a senior official said Thursday, describing the technology as an area “that’s probably going to see growth over the coming years.”

The threat is more than theoretical given the prevalence of AI deepfakes and robocalls and the way such technology has already surfaced in politics.

The official noted an episode in Slovakia early this year in which audio clips resembling the voice of the liberal party chief — purportedly capturing him talking about hiking beer prices and rigging the vote — were shared widely on social media just days before parliamentary elections. The clips were deepfakes.

An incident in the U.S. involved robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden that urged voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in January’s primary election. The robocalls were later traced to a political consultant who said he was trying to publicize the dangers of AI deepfakes.

AI technology is a challenge to law enforcement not only because it lowers the barrier of entry for people looking to make mischief but also because it adds to the arsenal of more sophisticated foreign governments that want to interfere in elections, said the official, who was one of several FBI officials to brief reporters on the topic of election security on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the FBI.

The three countries of most concern to the FBI in the current election year are Russia, Iran and China. Officials in the past have ascribed different motives and ambitions to the countries in terms of what they hope to achieve by influencing American elections.

In the case of Russia, intelligence officials in 2016 and 2020 have said Moscow had a clear preference for Republican Donald Trump and took steps designed to get him elected, including a sophisticated hack-and-leak operation of Democratic emails before he was elected eight years ago.

A recent intelligence community report assessed that, in the 2022 midterm election, Russia tried to denigrate the Democratic Party, with a goal of weakening U.S. support for Ukraine, and undermine confidence in the elections.

The report said China sought to influence a handful of races featuring candidates from both major political parties, focusing on those with anti-China views and covertly denigrating a U.S. senator. And it said that Iran conducted covert operations aimed at exploiting perceived social divisions.

In 2024, FBI officials said, China will likely continue its efforts to sow divisions, and the FBI is watching whether the Ukraine war will motivate Russia’s behavior.

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Q: We are in the process of purchasing an apartment. Our closing attorney received the report from the condominium association showing the monthly dues were current, and we were surprised to learn that a special assessment was pending because the sellers told us that none were. The contract also says that no special assessments are pending. We did not anticipate this additional financial burden when offering to buy the apartment. What can we do? — Duane

A: I have been seeing this type of question a lot lately, as many condominium communities face special assessments because of delayed maintenance, insufficient reserves and tougher community association laws.

When a community association needs extra money for a specific project, such as making repairs, it can “specially assess” unit owners to get the necessary funds. Like the regular assessments the association collects to maintain the community, special assessments must be paid to avoid serious consequences. The assessments vary from a couple of thousand dollars to over a hundred thousand. The amount will depend on the repairs required and how much reserves were postponed.

Because a pending assessment will raise the cost of owning the apartment, it tends to lower the price the unit will sell for. Because of this reason or because the seller was unaware of it, special assessments are often left off the listing and, more importantly, the purchase and sale contract.

It is essential to investigate this possibility before signing a contract by asking specific questions, checking other listings in the building, and, if possible, speaking to the property manager about it.

Most standard purchase contracts will have a section devoted to community association matters, including regular and special assessments. Review your contract and any disclosure the seller provided. If the pending assessments are listed or the contract does not mention them, you are likely stuck with buying the condo and paying the assessment or breaking the contract and risking your deposit.

However, if the contract states there are no pending special assessments, your seller will have to honor the deal they made and pay the newly discovered assessment.

The best approach is to communicate your concerns to the seller and see if a compromise can be reached. Perhaps the seller will pay the assessment, or at least some of it, now that it has been discovered or agree to the lower purchase price to a point where it still makes sense for you to buy it.

If the seller is unreceptive, speak with a local attorney about how to enforce the contract.

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. 

Here are the top stories for Thursday, May 9. 2024. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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Take out trees on Las Olas and you’ll turn into Anywhere, USA, critic warns Fort Lauderdale

A ‘great betrayal’: Family of missing Fort Lauderdale woman speaks out for first time since husband’s arrest

Palm Beach County takes next step with $200 million in affordable housing funds

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Arcade champions duel in court over recorded phone calls

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SUNRISE — A late second-period goal vaulted the Bruins to a win in Game 1 of their series against the Panthers. Florida returned the favor in Game 2.

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Defenseman Gustav Forsling fired a shot from the point at nearly 92 miles per hour, putting the Panthers ahead 3-1 with just 0.3 seconds remaining in the second period. The defender’s goal gave Florida the momentum to knot the series at one with a 6-1 win over Boston at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday.

“I think it was as impactful as their third goal last game,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “They scored right at the end. … The game was almost the same, was it not? It was even and flat. Apparently, the last thing you want to do in this series is score first because the other team gets five.”

Both teams missed out on early chances, but Boston cashed in on an opportunity first. Winger Pavel Zacha, approaching Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky from Bobrovsky’s left, dished a pass across the face of the net to Charlie Coyle, who sunk his shot with ease to put the Bruins up 1-0.

The Panthers finally made good on one of their opportunities early in the second period. Steven Lorentz redirected a Brandon Montour shot from the blue line, getting the puck past Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman. It was Florida’s first goal in more than 53 minutes of game time.

“Inflection points, you’re always looking for that, and sometimes it’s the things you don’t understand the why of it,” Maurice said. “But our bench was jacked up. It’s a big goal. It’s an important (goal). But there was a lot of emotion brought into our bench with that. … It’s really important that the players that do the hard stuff get a reward. He scores that goal, and everybody’s about three inches higher when they jump up.”

The Panthers went ahead later in the period. Captain Aleksander Barkov passed to leading scorer Sam Reinhart. Swayman deflected the shot right back to Barkov, who fired a quick shot to put the Panthers in the lead. Reinhart would notch four assists in the win, setting a franchise playoff record for single-game assists.

Forsling’s goal gave the Panthers insurance, and Eetu Luostarinen gave Florida a three-goal advantage early in the third period. Barkov netted his second goal of the game with 9:08 left in the third period, scoring the Panthers’ first power-play goal against Boston this season.

The teams got into a pair of whole-line fights, with misconduct penalties given out to Boston’s Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic and Derek Forbort. Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen and Dmitry Kulikov received misconducts, too.

The Panthers and Bruins scuffled again after defenseman Brandon Montour netted a short-handed goal to put Florida up 6-1. Boston’s Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy picked up misconduct penalties after that fight, as did Florida’s Sam Reinhart and Niko Mikkola. Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak also dropped the gloves for a fight at center ice, receiving misconduct penalties of their own.

In total, 12 players received misconduct penalties.

“That’s playoff hockey,” Lorentz said. “That happens sometimes, and we’ve just got to move forward.”

Bobrovsky closed out the game for the home team. The veteran goalie finished the game with 15 saves on just 16 Boston shots.

“(The defensemen) were great,” Bobrovsky said. “They played a tight, hard-fought game. Defended well and it was just a complete, great game.”

The series moves to Boston for Games 3 and 4, with the teams facing off again on Friday at 7 p.m.

“It’s just passionate fans, doing what they do,” Lorentz said. “We obviously hear what’s going on and we feed off the energy, whether it’s a home crowd or away crowd. Energy’s energy. We’re looking forward to a good atmosphere in Boston, and I think we know what their fans are going to bring.”

By DAVID FISCHER (Associated Press)

MIAMI (AP) — Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man’s family said Wednesday.

Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, who was based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, was in his off-base apartment in Fort Walton Beach when the shooting happened on May 3.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a statement that Fortson was on a Facetime call with a woman at the time of the encounter.

According to Crump, the woman, whom Crump didn’t identify, said Fortson was alone in his apartment when he heard a knock at the door. He asked who was there but didn’t get a response. A few minutes later, Fortson heard a louder knock but didn’t see anyone when he looked through the peephole, Crump said, citing the woman’s account.

The woman said Fortson was concerned and went to retrieve his gun, which Crump said was legally owned.

As Fortson walked back through his living room, deputies burst through the door, saw that Fortson was armed and shot him six times, according to Crump’s statement. The woman said Fortson was on the ground, saying, “I can’t breathe,” after he was shot, Crump said.

Fortson died at a hospital, officials said. The deputy involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The woman said Fortson wasn’t causing a disturbance during their Facetime call and believes that the deputies must have had the wrong apartment, Crump’s statement said.

“The circumstances surrounding Roger’s death raise serious questions that demand immediate answers from authorities, especially considering the alarming witness statement that the police entered the wrong apartment,” Crump said.

“We are calling for transparency in the investigation into Roger’s death and the immediate release of body cam video to the family,” Crump said. “His family and the public deserve to know what occurred in the moments leading up to this tragedy.”

Crump is a nationally known attorney based in Tallahassee, Florida. He has been involved in multiple high-profile law enforcement shooting cases involving Black people, including those of Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Tyre Nichols and George Floyd.

Crump and Fortson’s family plan to speak at a news conference in Fort Walton Beach on Thursday morning.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately respond to an email or voicemail from The Associated Press seeking comment about Crump’s claims. But Sheriff Eric Aden posted a statement on Facebook Wednesday afternoon expressing sadness about the shooting.

“At this time, we humbly ask for our community’s patience as we work to understand the facts that resulted in this tragic event,” Aden said.

The sheriff’s office said in a statement last week that a deputy responding to a call of a disturbance in progress at the apartment complex reacted in self-defense after encountering an armed man. The office did not offer details on what kind of disturbance deputies were responding to or who called them.

The sheriff’s office also declined to immediately identify the responding deputies or their races. Officials said earlier this week that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the local State Attorney’s Office will investigate the shooting.

FDLE spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it is highly unlikely the agency will have any further comment until the investigation is complete.

Fortson was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator, where one of his roles as a member of the squadron’s AC-130J Ghostrider aircrew was to load the gunship’s 30mm and 105mm cannons during missions.

Fortson’s death draws striking similarities to other Black people killed in recent years by police in their homes, in circumstances that involved officers responding to the wrong address or responding to service calls with wanton uses of deadly force.

In 2018, a white former Dallas police offer fatally shot Botham Jean, an unarmed Black man, after mistaking his apartment for her own. Amber Guyger, the former officer, was found guilty of murder the following year and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In 2019, a white former Fort Worth, Texas, officer fatally shot Atatiana Jefferson through a rear window of her home after responding to a nonemergency call reporting that Jefferson’s front door was open. Aaron Dean, the former officer, was found guilty of manslaughter in 2022 and was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison.

Crump has represented families in both cases as part of his ongoing effort to force accountability for the killings of Black people at the hands of police.

“What I’m trying to do, as much as I can, even sometimes singlehandedly, is increase the value of Black life,” Crump told The Associated Press in 2021 following the conviction a former Minneapolis officer in the murder of George Floyd.

Fort Walton Beach is between Panama City Beach and Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.

____

Associated Press reporters Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Aaron Morrison in New York contributed to this story.

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Supreme Court justices heard arguments Wednesday involving two arcade-game champs — but the case isn’t focused on who’s the grandmaster of Pac-Man.

Justices are grappling instead with whether gamer David Race, who lives in Ohio, violated Florida law when he secretly recorded fellow gamer Billy Mitchell without the Broward County resident’s permission. Florida is one of 11 states that require all parties to consent to being recorded.

According to court documents, Mitchell, who holds highest-scoring records in Pac-Man and Donkey Kong games, learned of the 27 recorded phone calls when they were revealed as part of a California defamation lawsuit Mitchell filed against Twin Galaxies, a video-game social-media platform that supplies data to the Guinness Book of World Records. The lawsuit was settled in January.

Race, who also holds records in Pac-Man and other arcade games, has accused Mitchell of cheating, and chatter about scoring issues has circulated for years on social media.

In a 2021 lawsuit filed in Broward County circuit court, Mitchell accused Race of violating Florida’s “Security of Communications Act” by failing to obtain his permission before recording the calls through an app on Race’s phone.

A judge refused Race’s request to dismiss the case, but the 4th District Court of Appeal sided with the Ohio resident, finding that “it offends traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice to require him to appear in Florida to defend against a lawsuit for an alleged violation” of Florida law. Mitchell appealed to the Supreme Court.

Wednesday’s arguments made no mention of the grudge match between Race and Mitchell, who attended the court session clad in a trademark black suit with a stars-and-stripes tie.

Justices asked numerous questions about whether the “interception” of the phone calls occurred in Florida or in Ohio, where the recordings were made, and whether Race was aware of Mitchell’s location.

Attorney James Stepan, who represents Mitchell, pointed to previous cases that established “interceptions occur where the person is speaking.” Mitchell was in Florida for all of the calls, he added.

“Well, yes, but the operative complaint doesn’t allege that Mr. Race knew that,” Justice John Couriel said.

“It’s no secret my client was a Florida resident. He’s somewhat of a, dare I use the word, celebrity, in the video-gaming industry, and so is Mr. Race, or at least he’s trying to be,” Stepan said.

Justice Meredith Sasso pressed Stepan on the issue.

“Don’t you think we need something indicating that the person who’s recording the calls knows that the person is in Florida? I mean, I like the idea of us walking around the country with like this special bubble of protection because we’re Floridians, but I’m not sure that’s how the law works,” she said.

“That’s correct, but my client was in Florida and he is entitled to the protection of Florida law while he’s here,” Stepan responded.

Robert Schenck, a lawyer in Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office, argued that the case involves “the court’s power to vindicate an interest which this court said is one of the highest order in a free and civilized society.” Moody’s office entered a friend-of-the-court brief siding with Mitchell.

“Can you explain what the state’s response would be to what the limit is for the Legislature to regulate, sort of, behavior, actions, of people out of state that affect Florida citizens? I mean, is there a limit?” Justice Jamie Grosshans asked Schenck, an assistant solicitor general.

“When an individual either commits a tort in the state, we think that is sufficient, or they commit an intentional act that they know will cause an intentional harm in that state, and I think that that’s the limit on the state’s power. … There does need to be some kind of genuine, bona fide harm in the state,” Schenck said.

Justice Charles Canady told Race’s lawyer, James Toscano, that Floridians have a “reasonable expectation” that they’re not being recorded without their permission.

“When I get on the phone and I’m talking to somebody I assume, unless they’ve told me, they’re not recording me, not that I would care, but some people might,” Canady said. “You’ve got a right in Florida not to be recorded surreptitiously.”

“I absolutely agree, if that’s two Florida residents having the conversation. But Florida is one of only 11 states that has all-party consent. I mean, I don’t think it’s reasonable to assume …,” Toscano said.

“Well, but that doesn’t make us chopped liver,” Canady interrupted.

Chief Justice Carlos Muniz appeared to struggle with the issue of where the recording and alleged violation took place.

“It seems to me the whole case really hinges on whether we think the tort occurred in Florida or not in Florida,” Muniz said.

But Toscano said the question was problematic.

“It’s not really a tort. It’s a statutory violation,” he said.

Couriel weighed in.

“Let me take a shot at this,” he said. “The truth of the matter is that what is recorded, this voice communication is just as recorded in Florida as it is in Ohio. … To me there is no other point at which it makes sense to draw the line other than that first place where it is heard,” he said.

But Muniz appeared unconvinced.

“There’s this sort of like, how do we metaphysically view the conversation and where it’s happening and whatever, but it seems like the whole point of this area of the law is to focus on what the defendant is doing, and the defendant is making the decision to record,” Muniz told Stepan. “But in terms of what the defendant is aware of, it’s all happening in Ohio.”

Stepan conceded that the “physical act” of the recording took place outside of Florida.

“His phone was in Ohio, but the defendant, at least in this case, he knew my client was a Florida resident,” he said.