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State auditor claims nursing home inspections out of compliance; regulator, providers disagree  McKnight's Long-Term Care News

State auditor claims nursing home inspections out of compliance; regulator, providers disagree  McKnight's Long-Term Care News

State auditor claims nursing home inspections out of compliance; regulator, providers disagree  McKnight's Long-Term Care News

General Daily Insight for September 17, 2024

Our intuition can guide us to productive places at present. The Moon is moving through dreamy Pisces, spurring us to take meaningful action and have valuable conversations when it opposes messenger Mercury in Virgo before conjoining stoic Saturn. Luna then forms an excitable square to Jupiter in Gemini, before culminating in this year’s only Pisces Full Moon at 10:34 pm EDT. Following the ideal road ahead doesn’t require hard-headed stubbornness! Keeping our hearts and minds open should light our way forward.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

A cycle is coming to a close. The powerful Full Moon culminates in your 12th House of Endings, signaling a time of release and letting go. This moment of letting go isn’t about losing something that is necessary or meaningful, but removing something which does not serve you. By ending this phase or habit (or whatever else it may be), you position yourself for a better and lighter future. Honor this chapter as it winds down, and trust that another will soon begin.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Satisfaction can be found by playing your current part. There is a big emphasis on coming together with people who get you as your 11th House of Aspirations hosts a powerful Full Moon, allowing you to align yourself and your values with the right kinds of social groups. This can speed the formation of a budding friend group, but could also result in you joining an organization or club that you’ve been eyeing for some time. It’s always nice to feel like you belong.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

The finish line is coming into view. You’ve been making major progress, and the end is in sight as the skies glow with a lovely Full Moon in your 10th House of Achievement! This lunation acts like a tank of rocket fuel, boosting you up in the world. Projects that have been in the works for some time may be ready for a big reveal, or maybe you’ll decide to submit your name for a big promotion. Trust that you can earn a lovely reward!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Get ready to spread your wings! The world is beckoning you to come and explore it during the Full Moon in your 9th House of Adventure, showing you how much excitement and possibility is waiting for you out in the great wide yonder. Potential travel plans or other broadening experiences should get moved off the back burner and into the heat, because this is no time for wallowing or trepidation. It’s time to explore fresh territory, so don’t even think about playing it small.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

This isn’t a day for sweeping things under the rug. A powerful matter is bubbling to the surface as your 8th House of Shared Resources is electrified by the potent Full Moon, shining a light onto topics that you’d normally prefer to keep in the shadows. This sector deals with intense ideas as varied as sex, death, and major finances, so be aware that you may deal with some heavy details. Although it won’t be easy, you’ll be glad you did it in the end.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Dynamic duos are the order of the day. There is a Full Moon powering up your 7th House of Associations, highlighting the most important connections in your life. This can apply to all sorts of relationships, be they romantic, professional, or platonic — all that matters is the core of a partnership between you and one other person. Regardless of the nature of such bonds, this Full Moon could prove a powerful turning point for at least one of them. Prepare to double up!

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Take stock of yourself, Libra. You’re allowed to feel good in your body, thanks to the Full Moon in your 6th House of Wellness. Whether you decide to simply go for a walk in nature or start prepping for your first marathon, focus your mind’s eye on your health. Nurture yourself with food that tastes good and feels good — of course, don’t forget to get plenty of rest as well. The more you tend to yourself, the further you’ll go in the long run.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Life isn’t meant to be one big headache! Your day ought to be lived and enjoyed. As today’s Full Moon illuminates your fun-loving 5th house, the universe heightens the importance of pursuing your sources of pleasure without guilt. The 5th house is rather selfish territory, so don’t worry too much about answering to authoritative people or following preset programs — especially unreasonable ones. That said, if their requests are fair, try looking for ways to fulfill them while also having fun.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Keep your focus close to home. There is a Full Moon in your foundational 4th house, tugging your attention toward important domestic matters. A family issue may come to a head, demanding that you assert yourself. Perhaps you’ll decide it’s time to make a change to your physical abode and start searching out new places to hang up your hat. If you want to put this energy to more immediate use, host a get-together at yours to fill your space with love and laughter.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You have a voice for a reason, Capricorn — it is vital to use it. The skies are glowing with a Full Moon in your 3rd House of Communications, putting an emphasis on your ideas and how you express them. This is a very beneficial energy if you have a message to share with people, so don’t be too worried about putting yourself out there. This same zone rules your local community, so you could have a great time exploring any new developments or hotspots.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Financial matters are taking top billing. Your attention is being firmly turned toward your money and how you make it thanks to the intense Full Moon in your 2nd House of Wealth. A lucrative opportunity may arrive at any moment! Whatever it looks like, make an effort to analyze the details without squandering your chance to act. You may also decide to make a big purchase at this time, which is fine — just keep reminding yourself to focus on quality over quantity.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

This is a very personal day. You’re the center of the cosmos during this important Full Moon, as it lights up your very own 1st House of the Self, magnifying your progress on any and all of your ambitions. Someone else may shine a light on you, giving you a further boost in whichever direction you prefer. Even though the planets are giving you the green light to be selfish, don’t forget to be grateful to the people who lift you up.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to embark on his 10th trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began almost a year ago, as the Biden administration continues efforts to revive the stalled cease-fire talks as the U.S. elections approach.

The top U.S. diplomat will fly to Cairo to discuss the negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza and broader regional security issues, as well as for talks with Egyptian officials, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday.

The statement only mentions one stop in Egypt, and it does not appear that Blinken will travel to Israel on this visit.

The announcement came on the same day as Israeli officials stressed to Amos Hochstein, an adviser to President Joe Biden, that their government was increasingly looking at military means for returning residents in northern Israel displaced by clashes with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. That would amount to an expansion of the conflict, which the Biden team has tried desperately to avoid.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Hochstein that “the only way left to return the residents of the north to their homes is via military action.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately told him “that Israel appreciates and respects the support of the United States, but in the end will do what is necessary to maintain its security,” according to a read out from the prime minister’s office.

The latest bout of regional diplomacy since the assault last Oct. 7 by Hamas, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and about 250 others taken captive, unfolded as the U.S. and partners struggle to close the remaining gaps in talks for a cease-fire, including details about the release of hostages and the deployment of Israeli troops. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The U.S. is currently still working with mediators on a new proposal, Miller said Monday. On Sept. 5, Blinken said the U.S., Qatar and Egypt would share their thoughts “in the coming days” on how to “resolve the remaining outstanding questions” in the negotiations.

While American officials, including Blinken, have said a deal is roughly 90% completed, the long-running negotiations to end the war appear to have stalled after the killing earlier this month of six hostages held by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union.

Netanyahu has refused to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border, a key disagreement. The Israeli leader argues that his forces must police smuggling routes that could help Hamas, and that Israel can’t reward the militant group with concessions after hostages were killed.

_____

©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Egypt on Tuesday for his 10th trip to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began nearly a year ago, this one aimed partly at refining a proposal to present to Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire deal and release of hostages.

Unlike in recent mediating missions, America’s top diplomat this time is traveling without optimistic projections from the Biden administration of an expected breakthrough in the troubled negotiations.

Notably, Blinken has no public plans to go to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on this trip. The Israeli leader’s fiery public statements — like his declaration that Israel would accept only “total victory” when Blinken was last in the region in June — and some other unbudgeable demands have complicated earlier diplomacy.

Blinken is going to Egypt for talks Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and others, in a trip billed as focused both on American-Egyptian relations and Gaza consultations with Egypt.

The tamped-down U.S. approach to Mideast diplomacy follows months in which President Joe Biden and his officials publicly talked up an agreement to end the war in Gaza as being just within reach, hoping to build pressure on Netanyahu’s far-right government and Hamas to seal a deal.

The Biden administration now says it is working with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar to come up with a revised final proposal to try to at least get Israel and Hamas into a six-week cease-fire that would free some of the hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Americans believe public attention on details of the talks now would only hurt that effort.

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and European Union.

American, Qatari and Egyptian officials still are consulting “about what that proposal will contain, and …. we’re trying to see that it’s a proposal that can get the parties to an ultimate agreement,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday.

The State Department pointed to Egypt’s important role in Gaza peace efforts in announcing last week that the Biden administration planned to give the country its full $1.3 billion in military aid, overriding congressional requirements that the U.S. hold back some of the funding if Egypt fails to show adequate progress on human rights. Blinken told Congress that Egypt has made progress on human rights, including in freeing political prisoners.

Blinken’s trip comes amid the risk of a full-on new front in the Middle East, with Israel threatening increasing military action against the Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon. Biden envoy Amos Hochstein was in Israel on Monday to try to calm tensions after a stop in Lebanon.

Hezbollah has one of the strongest militaries in the Middle East, and like Hamas and smaller groups in Syria and Iraq, it is allied with Iran.

Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged strikes across Israel’s northern border with Lebanon since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas started the war in Gaza. Hezbollah says it will ease those strikes — which have uprooted tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border — only when there’s a cease-fire in Gaza.

Hochstein told Netanyahu and other Israeli officials that intensifying the conflict with Hezbollah would not help get Israelis back in their homes, according to a U.S. official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks, said Hochstein stressed to Netanyahu that he risked sparking a broad and protracted regional conflict if he moved forward with a full-scale war in Lebanon.

Hochstein also underscored to Israeli officials that the Biden administration remained committed to finding a diplomatic solution to the tensions on Israel’s northern border in conjunction with a Gaza deal or on its own, the official said.

Netanyahu told Hochstein that it would “not be possible to return our residents without a fundamental change in the security situation in the north.” The prime minister said Israel “appreciates and respects” U.S. support but “will do what is necessary to maintain its security and return the residents of the north to their homes safely.”

Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, meanwhile, warned in his meeting with Hochstein that “the only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes will be via military action,” his office said.

In Gaza, the U.S. says Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal in principle and that the biggest obstacles now include a disagreement on details of the hostage and prisoner swap and control over a buffer zone on the border between Gaza and Egypt. Netanyahu has demanded in recent weeks that the Israeli military be allowed to keep a presence in the Philadelphi corridor. Egypt and Hamas have rejected that demand.

The Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200 people. Terrorists also abducted 250 people and are still holding around 100 hostages. About a third of the remaining hostages are believed to be dead.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, said Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The war has caused widespread destruction, displaced a majority of Gaza’s people and created a humanitarian crisis.

Netanyahu says he is working to bring home the hostages. His critics accuse him of slow-rolling a deal because it could bring down his hardline coalition government, which includes members opposed to a truce with the Palestinians.

Asked earlier this month if Netanyahu was doing enough for a cease-fire deal, Biden said, simply, “no.” But he added that he still believed a deal was close.

___

Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

By JACQUES BILLEAUD

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge has rejected a bid by Mark Meadows, a former chief of staff to President Donald Trump, to move his charges in Arizona’s fake elector case to federal court, marking the second time he has failed in trying to get his charges out of state court.

In a decision Monday, U.S. District Judge John Tuchi said Meadows missed a deadline for asking for his charges to be moved to federal court, didn’t offer a good reason for doing so and failed to show that the allegations against him related to his official duties as chief of staff to the president.

Meadows faces charges in Arizona and Georgia in what authorities allege was an illegal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in Trump’s favor. He had unsuccessfully tried to move charges in the Georgia case last year. It’s unknown whether Meadows will appeal the decision. The Associated Press left phone and email messages for two of Meadows’ attorneys.

While not a fake elector in Arizona, prosecutors said Meadows, while chief of staff, worked with other Trump campaign members to submit names of fake electors from Arizona and other states to Congress in a bid to keep Trump in office despite his November 2020 defeat. Meadows has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Arizona and Georgia.

In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes.

The decision sends Meadows’ case back down to Maricopa County Superior Court.

In both Arizona and Georgia, Meadows argued his charges should be moved to federal court because his actions were taken when he was a federal official working as Trump’s chief of staff and that he has immunity under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says federal law trumps state law.

Arizona prosecutors said Meadows’ electioneering efforts weren’t part of his official duties at the White House.

Meadows last year tried to get his Georgia charges moved but his request was rejected by a judge whose ruling was later affirmed by an appeals court. Meadows has since asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling.

The Arizona indictment says Meadows confided to a White House staff member in early November 2020 that Trump had lost the election. Prosecutors say Meadows also had arranged meetings and calls with state officials to discuss the fake elector conspiracy.

Meadows and other defendants are seeking a dismissal of the Arizona case.

Meadows’ attorneys said nothing their client is alleged to have done in Arizona was criminal. They said the indictment consists of allegations that he received messages from people trying to get ideas in front of Trump — or “seeking to inform Mr. Meadows about the strategy and status of various legal efforts by the president’s campaign.”

In all, 18 Republicans were charged in late April in Arizona’s fake electors case. The defendants include 11 Republicans who had submitted a document falsely claiming Trump had won Arizona, another Trump aide and five lawyers connected to the former president.

In August, Trump’s campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino became the first person to be convicted in the Arizona case when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to probation.

The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty to the forgery, fraud and conspiracy charges in Arizona.

Trump wasn’t charged in Arizona, but the indictment refers to him as an unindicted coconspirator.

The 11 people who were nominated to be Arizona’s Republican electors met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were “duly elected and qualified” electors and claimed Trump had carried the state.

A one-minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.

Prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme.

WASHINGTON — A gunman was spotted within shooting distance of former President Donald Trump for the second time in about two months — stopped only by the swift, keen-eyed response of Secret Service agents — raising new questions about the agency’s broader ability to protect candidates in its charge.

The Secret Service significantly bolstered Trump’s protective detail after coming under intense criticism following an attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. That beefed-up detail, which includes additional agents and enhanced on-the-ground intelligence, might have played a role in the outcome this weekend, current and former officials said.

Yet the fact that a gunman was able to get a semi-automatic rifle with a telescopic sight so close to the former president, roughly 300 to 500 yards away, underscored how many urgent problems exposed in Butler remained unresolved — and how difficult it is for the Secret Service to respond to an unpredictable and increasingly violent political environment.

As in Butler, the biggest issues in Trump’s protection seem to involve securing the protective perimeter of a targeted site, even one they know as well as Trump’s properties. The would-be shooter positioned himself in the bushes on the perimeter of the former president’s golf club in West Palm Beach. A Secret Service agent was one hole ahead of Trump on the course and spotted the barrel of a gun, prompting agents to open fire on the man, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County said at a news conference Sunday.

Keeping Trump safe: One tough job for the Secret Service, experts agree

Bradshaw said that Trump — one of the most polarizing figures in the world — still retains a protective detail that is smaller than the one given to a sitting president. That, he said, limits the protections the Secret Service and its local partners can provide.

“At this level that he is at right now, he’s not the sitting president — if he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded,” Bradshaw said.

“But because he’s not, the security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” Bradshaw added, while praising the service’s fast response. “So I would imagine that the next time he comes at a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter.”

Michael Matranga, a former Secret Service agent who protected President Barack Obama, said the agency should “seriously consider giving former President Trump the same or equal package as the president of the United States” and called the incidents “unprecedented.”

DeSantis doesn’t trust federal government to look into apparent assassination attempt against Trump. Florida will conduct own probe.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle lauded the actions of the agents, but they vowed to subject the agency’s already embattled leadership to intense questioning about the suspect’s ability to position himself near the former president.

“The facts about a second incident certainly warrant very close attention and scrutiny,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and chair of the Senate subcommittee investigating the security failures at Butler.

“Certainly a second serious incident, apparently involving an assault weapon, is deeply alarming and appalling,” he added.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who is a close ally of Trump, said the Senate’s investigations into the security lapses in Butler cited mismanagement within the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, as well as budget and morale issues.

“They’ve lost their focus,” he said. “They need more resources. These agents just work; they have no lives.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

A sharp-eyed Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel poking through the fence, likely foiling a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump on Sunday as he played a round of golf at his course near West Palm Beach.

Ryan Routh, Trump’s would-be assassin, fled before firing a shot and was quickly found and placed under arrest.

Sunday’s incident comes nine weeks after Trump survived an attempt on his life during a July 13 political rally in Butler, Pa. Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump while he addressed the crowd. One bullet pierced Trump’s upper right ear. Crooks, who was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper, also killed one audience member and wounded two others.

In the wake of the second attempt on Trump’s life, experts are calling on increased security for the Republican presidential nominee amid a climate of increasing political violence.

On Monday, President Joe Biden told reporters the Secret Service needs more help. “Thank God the (former) president’s okay,” Biden said. “One thing I want to make clear, the (Secret) Service needs more help. And I think Congress should reply to their needs if they in fact need more service people.”

In Palm Beach County on Monday, patrol cars blocked the entrances to the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. FBI officials gathered near the stretch of shrubs where Routh was hiding out on Sunday.

The scene remained relatively quiet outside Mar-a-Lago, where Trump supporters gathered nine weeks ago after the first assassination attempt on Trump. The area, though free of fanfare from Trump supporters, had a heightened police presence, with patrol cars guarding the home and checkpoints set up along the bridge.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel contacted several experts in law enforcement to ask how they might keep Trump safe.

“I would tell him he can’t play golf,” said Dennis Kenney, a criminal justice professor at John Jay College in New York. “It’s very difficult to prevent someone from doing (this) if they are talented. The first guy wasn’t a good shot. The second guy never got a shot off. If either one had been skilled snipers they would have been difficult to stop.”

As president, Bill Clinton liked to jog through the streets of Washington, D.C., Kenney noted.

“They finally had to stop him from doing it because it screwed traffic up so much,” he said. “It was a bit of a nightmare.”

But getting a fist-pumping personality like Trump to stop playing golf might not be so easy, Kenney acknowledged.

Outdoor areas are indeed difficult to secure, said Grace Telesco, a criminal justice professor at Nova Southeastern University and a retired lieutenant with the New York Police Department.

The last four assassination attempts against U.S. presidents all happened outside, Telesco noted.

John K. Kennedy was shot and killed at a parade in Dallas. Ronald Reagan was shot outside a hotel in D.C. hotel. And Trump was shot, struck in the ear by a bullet, at an outdoor rally. Then came Sunday’s attempt at his own golf course.

“It’s very difficult to try to control that. It’s difficult to make sure that the folks who are in the front only have certain access,” Telesco said. “They’ve had criminal background checks done, but it’s not going to be foolproof. Outside is difficult.”

The Secret Service team will advise the person they are protecting what is needed to ensure safety, which may include avoiding certain locations.

“You can advise them it’s not something that’s safe for them, but the [people under protection] still have a veto,” Telesco said. “They have the right to say, ‘Well this is what I want to do and I’m not going to stop doing that.’ If you watch the movies, the Secret Service seems to be in charge and the dignitary listens to whatever the Service Service says. Well, that’s not always the case.”

Telesco described Trump as being the type to say, “I’m not going to give in. I’m not going to back down, not going to be afraid. Whatever the potential harm is, I’m not going to allow that to stop me from doing what I want to do.”

And that makes him challenging to protect, she said.

Political rhetoric on both sides doesn’t help.

“Should a presidential candidate be able to feel safe? One-thousand percent,” Telesco said. “And in this country today where we’re a free democracy, we should be allowed to be controversial. We should be allowed to have a different opinion (from) our neighbor and not have to fear violence.”

But in reality, the nation’s heated political discourse has led to everything from presidential assassination attempts to the Jan. 6 riot, Telesco said.

“Although we like to believe we can keep presidents and presidential candidates safe, the reality is we cannot,” said Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University and an expert on presidential history.

Jarvis pointed to John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert Kennedy.

“If we could protect people, JFK would not have been assassinated and RFK would not have been assassinated,” Jarvis said. “Obviously it’s gotten better since (Abraham) Lincoln went to the theater.”

The level of protection provided becomes somewhat of a negotiation between the Secret Service and the person they need to protect, Jarvis said.

“They wanted Kennedy to use a bulletproof bubble in Dallas, but he didn’t want to use the bubble because people wouldn’t be able to see him,” Jarvis said. “If you are president, you are by nature likely to be gregarious. Most presidents want to get out and see the public. There is no way to fully protect these people. It is a myth that we can 100 percent protect a president or someone in political life. They already live in a bubble. They can’t just go take a walk without a Secret Service detail.”

It would be so much easier if the president never left the White House, Jarvis said.

“That’s the only place you can really keep them safe,” he said. “And even then, you can’t keep them 100 percent safe. … It comes with the territory.”

One of the unusual aspects of protecting Trump is that he’s both a former president and a current nominee, said Jason Russell, a former Secret Service agent who is now a security consultant.

“As such, I suspect former President Trump’s threat level is close to, or may exceed, the threat levels associated with sitting presidents,” said Russell, founder and president of the Michigan-based Secure Environment Consultants, which works with businesses and organizations.

Political rallies and other “on-the-record” outdoor events are challenging because they create security vulnerabilities “such as those caused by line of site and access-control issues that are often largely mitigated by the design features of buildings utilized for indoor events,” Russell said. But “off-the-record” outdoor activities, including Trump’s golf outings, are also challenging because of the expansive environments where they take place, he added.

”In the recent past, the challenges have been somewhat mitigated when protectees have conducted them in more controlled environments,” he said.

As examples, he cited former President Barack Obama golfing at Joint Base Andrews, former President George W. Bush bike riding at the Secret Service training center, and former President Reagan horseback riding at his Santa Barbara ranch.

“I expect the Secret Service will continue to reevaluate the resources they allocate to protect former President Trump to attempt to ensure his safety,” Russell said.

The average person might want to lay low after getting shot at, former Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti told the Sun Sentinel.

But Trump is not your average person.

The way Lamberti sees it, Trump should be getting the same level of protection as Biden.

“I don’t think he’ll stop golfing,” Lamberti said. “But he’s a target. And it’s probably not going to subside after the election, even if he were to lose. You have to look at the threat assessment. Jimmy Carter does not have the same threat level as Donald Trump. You can’t ignore that threat assessment.”

A.J. DeAndrea, a retired deputy chief from Colorado, was one of the first SWAT team members on the scene at the Columbine shooting in 1999.

How would he protect Trump?

“If it was me, he should be getting the same security detail that Biden is getting,” DeAndre told the Sun Sentinel. “This is such a critical election. Threats have been made, twice now. The country and administration needs to answer to this.”

Trump’s advisers might very well be urging him to put away his golf clubs for now, DeAndrea said.

“But this is a free America,” he added. “And our freedoms are essential to us.”

Jeff Marano, a former Hollywood police lieutenant who served on the agency’s SWAT team, says he doubts Trump will take up indoor golf to keep himself safe — even if that’s what he’s being told to do.

“You gotta make him a hard target,” Marano said. “Clinton golfed. Obama golfed. To say, ‘Don’t play golf anymore,’ I don’t think that’s realistic. Here’s someone who’s already been shot. He went out and played golf the next day. He got up (after being shot in Pennsylvania) with the fist pump. He’s a rare breed.”

Staff writer Abigail Hasebroock contributed to this report.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — A Florida sheriff fed up with a spate of false school shooting threats is taking a new tactic to try get through to students and their parents: he’s posting the mugshot of any offender on social media.

Law enforcement officials in Florida and across the country have seen a wave of school shooting hoaxes recently, including in the wake of the deadly attack at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., which killed two students and two teachers.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood on Florida’s Atlantic Coast said he’s tired of the hoaxes targeting students, disrupting schools and sapping law enforcement resources. In social media posts Monday, Chitwood warned parents that if their kids are arrested for making these threats, he’ll make sure the public knows.

“Since parents, you don’t want to raise your kids, I’m going to start raising them,” Chitwood said. “Every time we make an arrest, your kid’s photo is going to be put out there. And if I can do it, I’m going to perp walk your kid so that everybody can see what your kid’s up to.”

Nine Broward students arrested for online threats since August, deputies say

Chitwood made the announcement in a video highlighting the arrest of an 11-year-boy who was taken into custody for allegedly threatening to carry out a school shooting at Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School in Volusia County. Chitwood posted the boy’s full name and mugshot to his Facebook page.

In the video, which had more than 270,000 views on Facebook as of Monday afternoon, the camera pans across a conference table covered in airsoft guns, pistols, fake ammunition, knives and swords that law enforcement officers claim the boy was “showing off” to other students.

Courtesy/Sheriff Mike ChitwoodVolusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Courtesy/Sheriff Mike Chitwood

Later, the video cuts to officers letting the boy out of a squad car and leading him handcuffed into a secure facility, dressed in a blue flannel button-down shirt, black sweatpants and slip-on sandals. The boy’s face is fully visible at multiples points in the video.

“Right this way, young man,” an officer tells the boy, his hands shackled behind his back.

The boy is led into an empty cell, with metal cuffs around his wrists and ankles, before an officer closes the door and locks him inside.

“Do you have any questions?” the officer asks as he bolts the door.

“No sir,” the boy replies.

The video prompted a stream of reactions on social media, with many residents praising Chitwood, calling on him to publicly identify the parents as well — or press charges against them.

Others questioned the sheriff’s decision, saying the 11-year-old is just a child, and that the weight of the responsibility should fall on his parents.

‘Students aren’t getting the message’ on school threats, superintendent says after another arrest

Under Florida law, juvenile court records are generally exempt from public release — but not if the child is charged with a felony, as in this case.

Law enforcement officials across Florida have been tracking a stream of threats in the weeks since the 2024-2025 school year began. In Broward County, home to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, officials said last week they had already arrested nine students, ages 11 to 15, for making threats since August.

“For my parents, to the kids who are getting ready for school, I’m going to say this again,” Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said at a press conference, “nothing about this is a laughing or joking matter.”

“Parents, students, it’s not a game,” he added.

Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Name: Jared Moskowitz

Campaign website: jaredforflorida.com

Date, place of birth: 12/18/1980, Coral Springs

Education: B.A. from George Washington University. J.D. from Nova Southeastern University

Occupation: Member of Congress

Work history for the past 15 years, starting with the most recent. 
Member of Congress (Jan 2023 – Present)
Broward County Commissioner (Jan 2022 – Dec 2022)
Manager of M.O.D. LLC (May 2021 – Dec 2022)
Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (Jan 2019 – Apr 2021)
State Representative, Florida House of Representatives (Jan 2013 – Jan 2019)
General Counsel, AshBritt Inc. (April 2009 – Dec 2018)
Parkland City Commissioner (Nov 2006 – Dec 2012)

Why are you running for this office, and what specifically makes you a better candidate than your opponent? 
I have spent my life trying to improve my community. While I’m proud of the tangible results I’ve had so far — from passing the most comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation in Florida’s history to helping communities rebuild in the wake of natural disasters to ending sham impeachment inquiries against President Biden — I know that my work is not yet finished.
My extensive experience in government roles is the biggest factor that differentiates me from my opponent. I have earned a reputation for effective bipartisan action because I work hard to make a difference for people in need and ensure government fulfills its obligations to our community. There is no comparison between my record and my opponent’s.

What are the three most important issues facing this congressional district?
Firstly, the cost-of-living issues and kitchen table economics must be addressed. Too many families are hurting because of inflation and the high price of commodities. The people hit hardest by this squeeze are those who were already living on tight budgets and fixed incomes. We need to keep the cost of living under control. Healthcare costs were rising long before the current economic situation, which is why it’s urgent that the federal government takes action to address the rising prices of prescription medications and health insurance. I introduced legislation to reduce homeowners’ insurance costs, and I intend to continue working on solutions that make housing more affordable.

Secondly, protecting our democracy and the social safety net is a priority affecting this congressional district and all others. If we cannot protect longstanding democratic institutions and stop attempts to undermine the rule of law, it will be impossible to affect change on other priorities.

Finally, gun violence sadly remains part of this district’s identity. The tragedy at MSD is a scar on our community, and I’ve worked hard to turn that pain into action to prevent gun violence. In America, I believe we should be able to make parents a simple promise: when you drop your kids off at school, you get to pick them up alive. Our community deserves that peace of mind. I championed the Florida gun violence prevention law after the Parkland school shooting, and I have been advocating for federal laws to follow the model we created here.

What more should America be doing to protect our environment and critical ecosystems?
From my firsthand experience with disaster mitigation, I know how important it is that we take immediate and bold action to address worsening environmental threats and the underlying human causes contributing to them. I think Members of Congress need to incorporate environmental and economic sustainability into all policy conversations because these issues do not exist in a bubble, they are interconnected with all other policy initiatives.

We should continue pursuing Paris Accord environmental standards, incentivize corporations to reduce harmful emissions and find more environmentally friendly methods of productions, and allow the job growth created by new green-related technologies lead the way to making economic and environmental progress. We also need to ensure that federal protections on land, water, and air quality are followed and strengthened. This includes expanding protected areas, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and prioritizing the health of vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by environmental degradation.

What is your opinion of how Israel has conducted its military operations in Gaza?
Israel has a fundamental right to protect itself, and as its strongest ally, we have a responsibility to support their security. The situation in Gaza is complex and tragic, and Israel faces a difficult task in trying to neutralize threats while operating in an environment where terrorist organizations, like Hamas, often use civilians as human shields, put weapons in schools and hospitals, and spread misinformation on social media with the help of Iran.

While Israel should take every precaution to minimize civilian casualties, it is also critical to recognize that the root cause of the conflict stems from ongoing acts of terrorism and the refusal of groups like Hamas to recognize Israel’s right to exist. I am fully supportive of a ceasefire that involves the return of all hostages, and the end of Hamas’s terrorist actions and rule over Gaza.

Do you support or oppose the Florida abortion rights measure known as Amendment 4, and why? 
Absolutely, I support Amendment 4. Roe v. Wade was settled law and never should have been overturned. I fully believe that all women have a right to make medical decisions about their own bodies. Amendment 4 is a necessary protection to ensure all Floridians are afforded this essential right, and I will continue to fight for federal protections as well.

What changes would you support to reduce mass shootings in the U.S, and do you support or oppose reinstating a federal ban on assault-style weapons?
As a State Representative, I championed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which introduced meaningful gun violence prevention measures, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms and implementing “red flag” laws. I wanted to ban assault-style weapons as part of that effort, but it would not have passed the Republican-controlled legislature with that provision included. The law that passed has proven effective in keeping guns out of the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves and others. I believe that similar provisions should be enacted at the federal level to help reduce the incidence of mass shootings across the country.

I strongly support reinstating a federal ban on assault-style weapons. Alongside this, expanding background checks to all firearm purchases and closing existing loopholes are essential steps in preventing dangerous individuals from obtaining firearms. By passing these measures at the national level, we can build on the progress made in Florida and take significant steps toward reducing gun violence in the U.S.

Did Joe Biden legitimately win the 2020 presidential election, and why?
Yes, next question.

Win or lose, will you pledge to accept the results of your own campaign and the 2024 presidential election?
Yes. Also won’t incite a violent mob while we are at it.

Do you support or oppose an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices, and what other changes would you support to restore respect for the court?
We desperately need ethics reforms for the Supreme Court. I believe the justices and judges confirmed by the Senate should have the same ethics rules and requirements as the Senators who confirm them. Also, I fully support restoring the 60-vote threshold for confirming Supreme Court justices, which will bring a requirement for bipartisan cooperation back to the process.

Describe in detail any demographic, economic or social factor about your congressional district that sets it apart from others.  
FL-23 is a diverse district, and the factor that sets it apart from being a true cross-section of the rest of the country is our large Jewish population. In addition to representing my own culture and beliefs, I feel a major responsibility to the Jews in my district to speak out against antisemitism and anti-Zionism. We are targets of white supremacist movements in addition to misinformed attacks by those who are uneducated about the history of antisemitism and the Jewish people. I will not allow my Jewish community to ever again face the persecution felt by my Holocaust-survivor grandparents.

Have you ever been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime, received a withheld adjudication or had a matter sealed or expunged? If yes, please explain. 
No.

Have you been a plaintiff or defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure or had a restraining order issued against you? If so, please explain.
Yes, I have been sued as an elected official.

Name: Lois Frankel

Campaign website: loisfrankelforcongress.com

Date, place of birth: May 16,1946, New York

Education: Boston University, BA, Georgetown Law, JD

Occupation: Member of Congress

Work history for the past 15 years, starting with the most recent. 
Member of Congress 2013-Present, Mayor of West Palm Beach 2003-2011, Florida State Representative 1987-1992, 1994-2002

Why are you running for this office, and what specifically makes you a better candidate than your opponent?
I am a better candidate for Congressional District 22 because of my experience, political values, and strong ties to the community.

As a working mother and now as a working grandmother I have brought my life experience to my elected positions as legislator and former Mayor.

I am a leading voice with a strong record of supporting abortion rights, gun safety, voting rights, Social Security, Medicare, and funding to combat climate change. With my Democratic colleagues, I’ve helped pass legislation that will bring prescription drug prices down for seniors, lower energy costs, and bring manufacturing back to our country. My office and I work closely with local officials, civic organizations, non-profits, and business leaders to listen and respond to their concerns. I’ve brought back millions of dollars of funding for local projects and programs.

What are the three most important issues facing this congressional district?
Access to reproductive health care, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and cost of living. For some it is border security.

What more should America be doing to protect our environment and critical ecosystems?
Climate change is intensifying weather extremes across our country and the world. We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is why I voted for historic action to invest in clean energy and electric vehicles.

Protecting the Everglades, the source of drinking water in South Florida is essential for our health and economy. I have joined forces with like-minded colleagues to make sure that the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, known as CERP, is properly funded to restore and preserve its resilience.

What is your opinion of how Israel has conducted its military operations in Gaza?
A fairer question is how do I think Hamas and Iran has conducted its military operations against Israel in Gaza? On October 7th, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered, kidnapped, tortured, and raped Israelis, taking 240 hostages–many of whom remain in dark tunnels, being starved and abused. Both Iran and its proxy, Hamas, have clearly stated that the complete elimination of Israel is their goal. Hamas uses civilians as human shields and hides in civilian institutions like hospitals. Had they surrendered and released the hostages months ago, so much of the devastation could have been avoided. I stand firmly with Israel’s right to defend herself and President Biden’s proposal for a ceasefire with immediate release of the hostages.

Do you support or oppose the Florida abortion rights measure known as Amendment 4, and why?
Yes, I support Amendment 4.

All people deserve the freedom to make personal health care decisions without government interference. The decision of when or whether to start a family belongs to a woman and those she trusts, not to politicians. Florida’s 6-week ban, before most women know they are pregnant, is inhumane, causing physical and emotional harm to pregnant women and causing them to carry pregnancies that are the result of rape and incest. This is why I support Amendment 4 and am one of the prime sponsors of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would create a new legal protection for the right to provide and access abortion care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions and bans, in every zip code in our country.

What changes would you support to reduce mass shootings in the U.S, and do you support or oppose reinstating a federal ban on assault-style weapons?
There is no magic wand to reduce mass shootings but there are many strategies that can be implemented to curtail this violence. That’s why I have supported funding research on this issue.

I was proud to support the most major gun reform legislation in 30 years, the Safer Communities Act, which expanded and enhanced background checks, closed the ‘boyfriend loophole’, supported ‘red flag’ laws, expanded mental health and school services, and expanded community violence intervention programs. This was an important step, but we must go further to protect our communities including expanding universal background checks and the banning of assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines.

Did Joe Biden legitimately win the 2020 presidential election, and why?
Yes. All votes and recounts were valid and there was no evidence of voter fraud that would affect the outcome.

Win or lose, will you pledge to accept the results of your own campaign and the 2024 presidential election?
Yes. Our country was built on free and fair elections and attacking their integrity diminishes our democracy.

Do you support or oppose an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices, and what other changes would you support to restore respect for the court?
Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on presidential immunity, abortion, voting rights, and gun violence seem out of step with the American public. I am open to studying potential ways we can make our Supreme Court more diverse and reflective of American values, including term limits and a code of conduct. With that said, due to the extremely partisan nature of congress, Supreme Court reform is unlikely. That is why electing a President that shares your values is so important because when there is an opening on the Supreme Court, the sitting President gets to make a nomination. This is why I support Kamala Harris for President.

Describe in detail any demographic, economic or social factor about your congressional district that sets it apart from others.  
Congressional District 22 has one of the largest concentrations of retirees in our country and also one of the largest Jewish populations.

Have you ever been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime, received a withheld adjudication or had a matter sealed or expunged? If yes, please explain.
No

Have you been a plaintiff or defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure or had a restraining order issued against you? If so, please explain.
Landlord tenant issue 35 years ago dismissed in my favor. I was sued many times as Mayor of West Palm Beach.

Today is Monday, Sept. 16, the 260th day of 2024. There are 106 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 16, 2013, Aaron Alexis, a former U.S. Navy reservist, went on a shooting rampage inside the Washington Navy Yard, killing 12 people before being fatally shot police.

Also on this date:

In 1810, Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called on his parishioners to join him in a rebellion against Spanish rule, marking the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.

In 1893, the largest land run in U.S. history occurred as more than 100,000 white settlers rushed to claim over more than 6 million acres of land in what is now northern Oklahoma.

In 1908, General Motors was founded in Flint, Michigan, by William C. Durant.

In 1940, Samuel T. Rayburn of Texas was first elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; he would hold the post for a record 17 years, spanning three separate terms.

In 1966, the Metropolitan Opera officially opened its new opera house at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with the world premiere of Samuel Barber’s “Antony and Cleopatra.”

In 1974, President Gerald R. Ford signed a proclamation announcing a conditional amnesty program for Vietnam war deserters and draft evaders.

In 1982, the massacre of more than 1,300 Palestinian men, women and children at the hands of Israeli-allied Christian Phalange militiamen began in west Beirut’s Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.

In 2007, O.J. Simpson was arrested in the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas. (Simpson was later convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery and sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison; he was released in 2017.)

In 2018, at least 17 people were confirmed dead from Hurricane Florence as catastrophic flooding spread across the Carolinas.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor George Chakiris is 92.
• Actor Ed Begley Jr. is 75.
• Author-historian-filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. is 74.
• Country singer David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 74.
• Actor Mickey Rourke is 72.
• Jazz musician Earl Klugh is 71.
• TV personality Mark McEwen is 70.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount is 69.
• Magician David Copperfield is 68.
• Actor Jennifer Tilly is 66.
• Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Orel Hershiser is 66.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines is 65.
• Singer Richard Marx is 61.
• Comedian Molly Shannon is 60.
• Singer Marc Anthony is 56.
• News anchor/talk show host Tamron Hall is 54.
• Comedian-actor Amy Poehler is 53.
• Singer-songwriter Musiq Soulchild is 47.
• Rapper Flo Rida is 45.
• Actor Alexis Bledel is 43.
• Actor Madeline Zima is 39.
• Actor Max Minghella is 39.
• Rock singer-musician Nick Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 32.
• Actor Chase Stokes is 32.
• Golfer Bryson Dechambeau is 31.

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette

Iowa Auditor, inspections agency at odds over nursing home inspection frequency  The Gazette