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Daily Horoscope for November 22, 2024

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 22:00

General Daily Insight for November 22, 2024

Our current search for stability may be fruitful — to a point. The lively Leo Moon collaborates with logical Mercury, empowering us to think and converse freely. When harmonious Venus sextiles practical Saturn at 6:55 am EST, we’ll be in the mood to pin down plans that will work for a long time. Once Luna goes on to square chaotic Uranus, however, we’ll likely encounter surprises we didn’t see coming. After the Moon passes into careful Virgo, we can reflect on what we’ve learned.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Looking good in public could be a high priority for you now. As status-conscious Venus in your 10th House of Reputation supports reserved Saturn in your secretive 12th house, you may be aware that you need to keep some things private in order to make this happen. That said, it’s not possible to get rid of your longing for pleasure entirely. Indulging that desire thoughtfully and intentionally can help you prevent the kind of situation where you’d be tempted to impulsively blow your cover.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

You’re potentially interested in travel or learning in a casual way at this moment. When relaxed Venus in your 9th House of Expansion comes in contact with structured Saturn in your social sector, however, a friend might want you to commit to joining them in one of these pursuits. Once the idea solidifies into a group project, you won’t necessarily get to do everything your ideal way. At least something real should then happen, and maybe that’s worth making a few compromises!

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Joining forces with a collaborator can boost your progress toward a major recent goal. On paper, the proposed arrangement probably looks perfect. No matter how reluctant you are to say anything that would potentially threaten that ideal impression, honesty is still the best policy at this point. While the impulsive Moon in your communication zone agitates unruly Uranus in your 12th House of Secrets, whatever information you’re trying to suppress could abruptly come out. You’re better off sharing it on purpose instead.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Clearly understanding the structure of one of your close relationships could be comforting today. Still, what works for you and the other person might differ from how your peers handle similar situations. As the sensitive Moon in your self-worth sector fusses at rebellious Uranus in your 11th House of Community, you may find it unsettling to be an outlier. If whatever you’re doing functions in the real world and honors your values, you probably don’t have anything serious to worry about!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Sticking to what’s fair in a situation of shared responsibility could be urgently necessary. The key is actually that you’ll have to resist the temptation to pull more than your weight. Although you might like the idea of doing extra work to earn additional glory for yourself, that carries the risk of causing more problems than it solves. Your ego probably is genuinely hungry, so proactively look for a way to feed it that wouldn’t disrupt your equilibrium with anyone else.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Feeling safe and secure in a significant relationship, platonic or otherwise, can be comforting today. Still, you might be afraid to rock the boat. As the vulnerable Moon in your private 12th house jabs at unstable Uranus in your research zone, you’re probably aware that some of your recent intellectual interests aren’t universally popular. Can your companion handle this side of you? Even if they can’t, you’re not required to shed the parts of your connection that genuinely work for you.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Beautifying your home could currently be a high priority for you. While aesthetic Venus in your domestic 4th house aligns with disciplined Saturn in your productivity zone, you’re willing and able to put in the work to make your dreams a reality. Unfortunately, you can’t guarantee that everyone else with a stake in the situation shares your exact vision. Make a point of giving their complaints a fair hearing — perhaps they’ll have a few ideas you want to incorporate into your plan!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Keeping a conversation pleasant may require you to hold some things back today. Is that a trade-off worth making? As the volatile Moon in your public 10th house provokes disruptive Uranus in your partnership zone, opening up about a situation that upsets you has the potential to transform your relationship in ways you can’t control — remember, that’s not always a bad thing. Consider whether your current reality is satisfying enough to justify throwing your effort into maintaining the status quo.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Being grateful for what you already have could work wonders for your finances at the moment. While abundant Venus in your money zone supports restrained Saturn in your security sector, choosing to be content with less means you have more! You can still seek to fill your life with engaging adventures and exciting experiences, but you don’t have to spend a lot to achieve that goal. Working for your pipe dreams in unconventional ways might spare you the need to open your wallet.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You’re likely interested in looking good throughout your day. To that end, you might prefer to keep quiet — if you don’t say much, you won’t give people opportunities to get offended. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a few opinions that are on the spicy side! While the passionate Moon in your intimacy zone stimulates bold Uranus in your self-expression sector, airing those views to a carefully chosen confidant can be especially liberating. You can’t hold them all the way in forever.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your longing for privacy is probably strong at present. While desirous Venus in your 12th House of Seclusion engages with results-oriented Saturn in your finance sector, you may admit that you need to spend some money to obtain the outcome you want. Perhaps you’re working toward an arrangement that involves an unconventional approach to relationships or domestic life. If it works for you, though, you might as well go for it! Your peers could end up being more understanding than you think.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Staying quiet can be good for your popularity at this time. While the perceptive Moon in your 6th House of Wellness winds up wild Uranus in your communication sector, you may be aware that you hold some unusual opinions regarding health. Even when you’re potentially thrilled with the results you’ve obtained from a particular treatment or routine, the whole world isn’t necessarily in the mood to hear about it — let alone try it themselves. You might have to accept that it’s their loss!

Mrazek makes 32 saves as the Blackhawks beat the Panthers 3-1

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 21:14

By JAY COHEN

CHICAGO (AP) — Petr Mrazek made 32 saves and Teuvo Teravainen scored, helping the Chicago Blackhawks top the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Thursday night.

Craig Smith and Nick Foligno also scored as Chicago stopped a three-game slide. The Blackhawks also improved to 3-5-0 at home this season.

Mrazek returned to Chicago’s lineup after he missed Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to Florida because of a personal matter.

Sam Reinhart scored his 15th goal for Florida, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Spencer Knight stopped 17 shots for the Stanley Cup champions.

Teravainen put Chicago in front with a power-play goal 2:46 into the first period. It was his second goal in his last 17 games.

Smith made it 2-0 when he got a pass from Pat Maroon and went to his backhand to convert a breakaway 10:07 into the second. It was his fifth goal of the season.

Reinhart responded 34 seconds later, beating a screened Mrazek for his fourth goal in his last five games.

Florida pressed for the tying goal in the final minutes, but Foligno put it away with an empty-netter with 1:00 left.

Takeaways

Panthers: Came up empty on a couple of prime scoring opportunities.

Blackhawks: Coach Luke Richardson was looking for more fight from his team after it blew a 2-1 lead in the third period of the loss to the Ducks. The Blackhawks responded, especially in the last part of the game.

Key moment

Chicago defenseman Wyatt Kaiser was sent off for delay of game 12:22 into the third, but the Blackhawks killed off the penalty. Florida went 0 for 2 on the power play.

Key stat

Foligno has 10 goals and 14 assists in his career against Florida.

Up next

Florida opens a three-game homestand on Saturday night against Colorado. Chicago visits Philadelphia on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

'Resident hit by staff member' at Nottinghamshire care home, inspection told - Yahoo News UK

Home Inspection - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 17:01

'Resident hit by staff member' at Nottinghamshire care home, inspection told Yahoo News UK

Democrat Bob Casey concedes to Republican David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:50

By MARC LEVY

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted.

Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law.

Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning.

In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him.

“As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said.

The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead.

As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted.

That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law.

But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope.

Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate.

Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter

Citizens Insurance says it denies half of all claims because it covers riskiest policies

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:42

The high percentage of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. policies within Florida’s riskiest coastal regions is a major reason the company denies payment for half of all claims submitted compared to private-market insurers, a Citizens executive told the company’s Claims Committee on Thursday.

Jay Adams, Citizens’ chief insurance officer, spent several minutes responding to a news article from earlier this week based on findings by Weiss Ratings, a Palm Beach Gardens-based financial analysis firm.

The news article, which appeared in nearly all of Florida’s largest newspapers, reported Weiss’ findings that Citizens denied nearly 17,000 claims, or 50.4% of all claims submitted in 2023. The story reported that Weiss obtained its Citizens data from the company’s own annual report.

Weiss compared that data with percentages compiled for other Florida insurers and concluded that Citizens’ denial rate was higher than those of Florida-based subsidiaries State Farm or Allstate, which closed about 46% of claims without payment during the same period.

Although he called the finding “very factual,” Adams said the reason stems from Citizens’ creation as the “insurer of last resort.”

“We are writing the most risky policies in the state. We are the ones that are writing the coastal homes. We are the ones that are writing the wind-only coverage.” Deductibles for the “all-other-perils” portions of the policies are “probably” higher than other insurers, he said, and would result in a higher percentage of non-hurricane claims not reaching the deductible.

The story backed up Weiss’ findings by citing another news story, by an independent news source called NOTUS, highlighting that Citizens closed 77% of claims from this year’s Hurricane Debby without payment.

But it did not mention that a spreadsheet posted on Weiss Ratings’ website states that American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida had a no-payment rate in 2023 even higher than Citizens’ — 51.2% of 93,814 closed claims.

Weiss Ratings’ founder, Martin D. Weiss, was quoted calling Citizens’ high denial rates “unforgivable” and calling for “a thorough investigation.”

But Adams did not defend Citizens’ claims handling practices in 2023, the source of the report’s data and a year that saw just one minor hurricane, Idalia, strike the Panhandle. He focused his comments on how the state-owned company adjusted claims after this year’s storms, which resulted in heavy damage from storm surge not covered by property insurers.

Adams said he voiced concerns during the September meeting of Citizens’ Board of Governors that the company would be closing a large number of claims without making payments. And those predictions have come true, though not all claims from this year’s three storms have been closed.

After Hurricane Debby, 74% of claims were closed without payment, Adams said. Hurricane Helene resulted in 68.5% of claims closed with no payment, while 44% of Hurricane Milton claims were closed with no payment.

Data obtained from Citizens after the meeting showed that the company received 3,033 claims from Debby, 14,267 claims from Helene and 54,643 after Milton.

Adams provided several reasons Citizens customers might receive no payment for their claims:

— Some homeowners whose policies were transferred through the company’s depopulation process might have mistakenly filed claims with Citizens when actually they should have filed the claim with their new company.

— Citizens’ hurricane deductibles are “probably more substantial” — 2% to 10% — than those of other companies.

— While property insurance does not pay for flooding damage from storm surge, the National Flood Insurance Program, the nation’s primary flood insurance provider, requires homeowners to submit claims with their property insurers and obtain written denials of coverage before considering flood claims. On Jan. 1, Citizens began requiring all policies insuring properties valued at $600,000 or more to purchase flood insurance.

Scott Thomas, a Claims Committee member, pointed out that deductibles accrue throughout individual calendar years. That means if damage that does not reach a deductible in one storm, it counts toward that deductible for claims filed after a second or third storm. That’s one of the reasons insurers encourage storm victims to file claims, even if they know it won’t meet their deductible.

A Weiss spokesperson responded to Adams’ remarks by pointing out that he did not break down reasons for claims denials from this year’s storms.

“We based our analysis on Citizens’ own annual report, which is available on their website,” the spokesperson said. “We believe it’s important to analyze the claims data and it appears that Citizens does not currently understand precisely why each claim was denied for this season’s storms.

“We would hope that Citizens would do the necessary analysis rather than focus on headlines they don’t like.”

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.

Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:40

By KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate won’t hold votes on four of President Joe Biden’s appellate court nominees as part of a deal with Republicans to allow for speedier consideration of other judicial nominations and bring Biden within striking distance of the 234 total judicial confirmations that occurred during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term.

Currently, the number of judges confirmed under Biden totals 221. Republicans forced numerous procedural votes this week and late-night sessions as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attempted to move ahead in getting more of Biden’s nominees confirmed before Congress adjourns and Republicans take control of the chamber in January.

A Senate Democratic leadership aide said Thursday a time agreement had been reached to allow for consideration of seven district court judges the week following Thanksgiving. Plus, another six district judges would be placed on the Senate executive calendar, making it possible for them to be considered on the Senate floor in December.

Excluded from that list were four circuit judge nominations awaiting a floor vote: Adeel Abdullah Mangi of New Jersey, nominated for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals; Karla M. Campbell of Tennessee, nominated for the Sixth Circuit; Julia M. Lipez of Maine, First Circuit; and Ryan Young Park of North Carolina, Fourth Circuit.

Mangi would have been the first Muslim American to serve as a federal appellate court judge if he had been confirmed. Mangi received law degrees from Oxford and Harvard. He works in a prestigious law firm and has secured significant legal victories. But his limited volunteer work with two outside groups has imperiled his nomination. He faced opposition from some Democrats as well.

The confirmation battles over circuit court judges are generally much harder fights given their role in hearing appeals from district courts and often having the last word on legal matters.

Schumer’s office said the four circuit nominees lacked the support to be confirmed, and that they received more than triple the amount of other judges moving forward as part of the agreement.

Liberal groups in recent weeks have been pressuring Senate Democrats to do what it takes to get all of Biden’s judicial nominees confirmed before Trump takes office again. And some expressed disappointment with the deal.

“Reports that there is a deal that would leave behind critical circuit court nominees are unacceptable. All of these nominees must be confirmed expeditiously before the end of the 118th Congress,” said Lena Zwarensteyn, an advisor at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

“When senators return from the holiday break, Leader Schumer and senators must do whatever it takes — for as long as it takes — to confirm every single pending judicial nominee, including all circuit court nominees, to provide an important guardrail for our democracy. No matter what, this must get done,” Zwarensteyn said.

Schumer has dedicated much of the Senate schedule to getting Biden’s judicial nominees confirmed. He called it a basic responsibility of the Senate.

“We’ll take that responsibility very seriously between now and the end of the year,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Cutting in line? American Airlines’ new boarding tech might stop you at now over 100 airports

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:39

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — Sneaking a little ahead of line to get on that plane faster? American Airlines might stop you.

In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn.

As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport.

The initial response from customers and American employees “has exceeded our expectations,” Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery, said in a statement. She added that the airline is “thrilled” to have the technology up and running ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

American got lots of attention when it unveiled its gate-control testing last month. Analysts say that isn’t surprising.

It’s no secret that line cutting in airports hits a nerve. Whether intentional or not, just about every air traveler has witnessed it, noted Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group. It can add to frustrations in what can already be a tense environment, with particular anxiety around passengers wanting to sit together or rushing for some overhead bin space.

Harteveldt doesn’t see American’s recent move as “shaming” customers who cut the line. “What it is intended to do is bring order out of chaos,” he said. “And I hope it will defuse any potential flare ups of anger (from) people who simply think they’re entitled to board out of turn …. It’s just not fair.”

Harteveldt added that he thinks this change will enhance the experiences of both customers and gate agents. Others say more time will tell.

Seth Miller, editor and founder of air travel experience analysis site PaxEx.aero, said he can see the benefits of more orderly and universal gate-control enforcement, particularly for airlines. But he said he isn’t “100% convinced this is perfect for passengers” just yet.

Families, for example, might be booked on several different reservations across more than one group, he said. Airlines typically have workarounds for that, and American noted Wednesday that customers traveling with a companion in an earlier group can simply have a gate agent “override the alert” to continue boarding. Still, Miller said, “you have to go through the extra hoops.”

And a difficult customer still might choose to hold up the line and argue when they’re not allowed to board, he added.

Another question is whether customers who encounter a beep will walk away feeling embarrassed. But Harteveldt said he was happy to learn that American’s alert is “not a bellowing sound that can be heard throughout the terminal,” or accompanied by your name read over a loudspeaker, noting that this is important to avoid feelings of shame.

Expanding this technology just a week before peak Thanksgiving travel could be “both good and bad,” Harteveldt adds. On one hand, the tech could help significantly improve the boarding process during such a busy time, he said, but airport employees might also have appreciated more time to prepare.

Both Miller and Harteveldt said they wouldn’t be surprised if other carriers soon follow American’s lead. Headaches over airport line cutting are far from new. While maybe not to the extent of American’s new tech, Miller noted he’s seen gate agents from other airlines ask people to leave a line and wait for their group. Harteveldt added that he’s been to some airports in Asia and Europe with “sliding doors” that ensure passengers are in the right group before boarding a plane.

The more than 100 airports that American is now using its gate-control technology in are all spoke, or non-hub, locations — including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airline says it expects to further expand to its hubs and other airports in the coming months.

It’s tiki-official! The Mai-Kai reopens Friday with a new look, revamped show and updated menu

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:14

The Mai-Kai is once again ready to rum, baby, rum.

Four years after a burst sprinkler pipe tore a hole in the ceiling in October 2020 — and three weeks after its original reopening date — Oakland Park’s tiki icon has marked its long-awaited rebirth with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday and started taking reservations for service to begin on Friday.

“The Mai-Kai’s legacy is iconic,” new managing partner Bill Fuller said in a company statement. “I remember visiting Mai-Kai as a child, teen and adult, each time more memorable than the last.”

Fuller is cofounder of the Barlington Group, the Miami-based commercial developer whose stable of food and beverage tenants include Toasted Bagelry & Deli, Blackbird Ordinary, 8 Burger, Little Havana Cigar Factory and Ball & Chain.

The restaurant has also partnered with Fuller’s Mad Room Hospitality (Ball & Chain, Los Altos, Taquerias el Mexicano, Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant & Bar), as well as Oakland Park’s American National Bank and investors Richard Oneslager, Jeff Roschman and Mark Macek.

Developers are promising that the more than $20-million-dollar major makeover features a redesigned exterior/interior, revamped stage show and renewed food/cocktail menu.

Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelDancers perform during the re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Driving onto the property from U.S. Highway 1, guests cross over a new wooden bridge and see refreshed landscaping, including a pseudo rainforest of subtropical plants as well as a volcano caldera sculpture.
The main dining room evokes eight South Sea Islands, ranging from Lanai to Tahiti, and has a new waterfall feature along with the centerpiece stage, where new dinner shows will feature fire-knife dancing and Polynesian music.
The Mai-Kai’s A-frame roof has been replaced and rethatched. There are state-of-the-art kitchens and new air-conditioning systems. Jade terrazzo tile now lines the entrance walkway. And the new 220-space parking lot is framed by 8-foot-tall bamboo plants.
The world-renowned Molokai Bar has been rebuilt but retains its bar top and ship riggings, both salvaged from “Mutiny on the Bounty,” the 1962 Marlon Brando movie.
There is also a new patio bar beneath the Mai-Kai’s porte-cochere.
The new Mai-Kai Trading Post gift shop is lined with California-imported gold tile and Polynesian and Tahitian lamps (restored and retrofitted with new lighting). The Trading Post also has a porthole, allowing guests to watch bartenders mix cocktails.
The hurricane-damaged Bora Bora building, which served as a banquet hall, has been razed in favor of new meeting/banquet spaces.

Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelMai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Brothers and tiki-life enthusiasts Bob and Jack Thornton opened the Mai-Kai on Dec. 28, 1956. It was the most expensive restaurant opened in the United States that year, costing $350,000. The popular Polynesian show started in 1962.

“Partnering with the Thornton family on the restoration of Mai-Kai isn’t just business for me, it’s a passion,” Fuller added. “I’m here to honor the family’s hard work preparing Mai-Kai for the next generation of guests. The brand they’ve built will have a bright future and continue to develop, never losing sight of what they have created back in 1956. Each guest that walks through the door will feel the energy that Bob and Jack Thornton originally created.”

In 2014, the restaurant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2015, the Mai-Kai was first named the world’s best tiki bar by CriTiki.com’s 6,000 members, an honor repeated in 2016.

Also in 2016, the restaurant was the subject of the book “Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant” (Schiffer Publishing).

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

Staff writer Phillip Valys contributed to this report.

Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelThe re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, November 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelMai-Kai owner Bill Fuller, dances with a Mai-Kai performer during re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelPeople drinking during the re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelPeople during the re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Dolphins speedster De’Von Achane has already stormed past last year’s total touches — and handling it well

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 16:00

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins second-year running back De’Von Achane continues to be one of the NFL’s most electric, exciting players to watch.

And better yet, he is seen with the ball in his hands more and more as he handles his increased workload in Year 2 without issue.

Achane has stormed past last year’s total touches, 168 in 10 games this year after having 130 in 11 games in 2023. He surpassed his rookie-year carry total two games ago — now at 122 after having 103 attempts last season. And after catching 27 passes last year, his 46 thus far as a second-year pro have him within reach of doubling that mark by Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.

The best part about it all, as Achane has been productive at 4.3 yards per carry along with being more active catching passes, is he hasn’t brushed up with any injury concerns. This after the 5-foot-9, 188-pound speedster had a pair of knee issues in 2023, one which placed him on injured reserve to miss four games.

“I feel good,” Achane said this week. “I’m just glad I’m 100 percent healthy. I didn’t have any injuries like I did last season, so I’m just trying to keep that up, just make sure my body is maintained for the rest of the season.”

The concussion that took him out early in the first meeting with the Patriots, Oct. 6 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, didn’t even cost him the next game as he recovered over the bye week. He did return to action with a Guardian cap over his helmet, but Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders was the first one he played without it.

In that 34-19 win against the Raiders, he had 17 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches for 32 yards. He had 21 touches, while rookie Jaylen Wright had six and veteran Raheem Mostert had three.

Coach Mike McDaniel went into the game expecting to distribute opportunities more among his three running backs, but Achane’s productivity again couldn’t be kept off the field.

“De’Von’s play merited some extra snaps that we were kind of anticipating being a little more level,” he said. “He was really playing well, so in those situations we kind of lean on the hot hand, so to speak, and I think he’s really made it difficult in in-game situations, the last two in particular, to take him off the field. But we try to leave that room for guys to decide for us during the game on how much play time they’ll get and respond appropriately.”

Achane hasn’t broken off as many long runs that led to his absurd modern-era record of 7.8 yards per attempt as a rookie, but McDaniel noted how Achane has been more consistent in the run game, turning plays that could go for loss of yards into significant gains.

Catching passes was an emphasis for Achane this offseason, and he has a reception on all but five of his targets this season as he has become a go-to for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa while defenses focus in so much on wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

“We basically just take what the defense gives us,” said Achane, feeling at some point defenses will adjust to open things back up for Hill and Waddle. “We’ve been doing it pretty much all season, so you expect for the defense to try to cover it.”

Said offensive coordinator Frank Smith of Achane: “Whatever the game requires, he’s ready for it, and he’s done a great job with everything just making sure he’s ready to go for the season.

“He handles everything like a professional, and he’s been helping us win. So, excited for everything he’s done.”

Then, there’s the other side of Achane’s uptick in work. The other half of last year’s backfield duo, Mostert, isn’t seeing nearly as much action.

“He’s doing a good job,” Mostert said of Achane. “He’s hot right now, and it’s good to see. He’s very impressive.

“I’ve dealt with a lot, but I’m here to play a role. And that’s just to get myself better, get everybody else around me better. If my opportunity knocks, I just got to answer the door.”

Mostert recently had a sit-down with McDaniel, with whom he goes back to time together in San Francisco, before either of them arrived in Miami.

“We just try to see eye to eye. That’s the best thing we can do,” Mostert said. “We had a good conversation, and we see eye to eye now. Moving forward, I told him, he can always come to me, and I’m going to come to (him), as well. We have a lot in common, and a lot of things that we discussed. It was beneficial.”

A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say

South Florida Local News - Thu, 11/21/2024 - 15:42

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — A high-ranking leader of a Mexican drug cartel who lived in the U.S. under a phony identity after faking his own death has been arrested on federal charges, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Cristian Fernando Gutierrez Ochoa — the son-in-law of the fugitive Jalisco New Generation cartel boss known as “El Mencho” — was arrested this week on drug trafficking and money laundering offenses in Riverside, California, where he had been living using a fake name after fleeing Mexico, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors say Gutierrez Ochoa, 37, faked his own death and fled to the U.S. to avoid Mexican authorities after kidnapping two members of the Mexican Navy in 2021. His father-in-law, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes or “El Mencho,” told associates he killed Gutierrez Ochoa for lying, helping the man escape to the U.S. to be with “El Mencho’s” daughter, the Justice Department said.

Gutierrez Ochoa is accused of conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine into the U.S., and using violence to further the cartel’s illegal activities. He’s accused of kidnapping the two Mexican Navy members in 2021 in the hopes of securing the release of “El Mencho’s” wife after she had been arrested by Mexican authorities, according to the Justice Department.

“The Jalisco Cartel — one of the world’s most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations — is weaker today because of the tenacious efforts of law enforcement to track down and arrest a cartel leader who allegedly faked his own death and assumed a false identity to evade justice and live a life of luxury in California,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.

An email seeking comment was sent to an attorney appointed to represent Gutierrez Ochoa.

The U.S. State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest of “El Mencho,” an alias that is a play on his first name.

“El Mencho’s” son was convicted in a U.S. federal court in September of charges that he used violence, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter, to help his father operate one of the country’s largest and most dangerous narcotics trafficking organizations.

Rubén Oseguera, known as “El Menchito,” was convicted after a trial in Washington’s federal court of conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for U.S. importation and using a firearm in a drug conspiracy.