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General Daily Insight for September 04, 2024

This is no time to ignore our emotions. The Moon begins the day in Virgo, where it will oppose mystical Neptune before dancing into fair-minded Libra. Things could get overwhelming when Mars makes an unusual quincunx to Pluto, but we’ll have the energy to handle it once Mars marches into sensitive Cancer at 3:46 pm EDT. During this emotionally charged transit, we’ll all be more inclined to follow our feelings. Still, we are capable of avoiding the temptation to act out.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

The best way to lead is with an open heart. Your ruler, red-hot Mars, is entering your sensitive 4th house, amplifying your emotions and your need for stability and security. This can make you feel somewhat pressurized as Mars exerts itself within one of the more delicate sectors of your chart. Thankfully, if you allow this to occur, rather than trying to fight it, you can make a lot of progress. This progress will likely be more internal, but you should feel worlds better.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

This is no time to rest, Taurus. Action planet Mars is entering your buzzy 3rd house for the first time in two years, so you’re going to have to pick up the pace if you want to keep up with your own popularity. It’s easy to overbook yourself during this cycle, which means that keeping a calendar of some kind will be more helpful than usual, perhaps even necessary. If you don’t drop the ball, you can probably score quite a few points.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Your finances are heating up. Your 2nd House of Income is glowing with power as can-do Mars parades into this financially focused sector, creating windows of opportunity for you to earn more money — but simultaneously showing off many ways to spend it. That’s all well and good, but Mars can also hike your usual expenses while it’s here. Do your best to keep yourself on some sort of budget, or you might wind up blowing all your hard-earned money far too quickly.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Rev your engines and get ready to blast off from the starting line! You’re the special recipient of a mega dose of firepower as Mars arrives in your sign, giving you a special boost that you haven’t felt in roughly two years. You’ll have more energy at your disposal — and it’ll need to be used well. Otherwise, you could wind up overwhelmed by all this fire. Avoid letting it build up, because without proper release, you may just blow your top.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

The best way to reach your preferred destination is by taking your hands off the steering wheel. The cosmos is hyping up the idea of kicking back and going with the flow as Mars enters your 12th House of Release. Sometimes you need to do nothing before you can be active. If things seem irritatingly slow right now, try to look at this as a blessed opportunity to clear out any old and outdated ways of being. Allow yourself to be directionless.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You can handle just about anything on your own, but that doesn’t mean you must always do so. Right now, much more can be accomplished by working together as make-it-happen Mars energizes your 11th House of Global Communities. Connections with others, near and far, are empowered. Old friends can provide you with new opportunities, but be willing to make fresh connections as well. The planets are supporting your efforts to see how far your network can grow when you make an effort.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

No more taking it easy. It’s time to get serious as Mars advances into your 10th House of Livelihood, encouraging you to chase your goals and do whatever you can to obtain them. This is going to be an especially active phase, as more opportunities arise for you to show your worth. Get your elevator pitch ready to go, since it’ll probably come in handy! A project you’ve been working on behind the scenes may also be ready for its stunning debut.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Life is meant to be an adventure — that’s truer now than ever. This expansive energy is thanks to Mars winging its way into your curious 9th house, stirring up your desire to explore mysterious territory and discover what’s waiting for you out in the great wide world. This is a terrific time to travel, but if you can’t get away for one reason or another, then there’s nothing wrong with being an armchair explorer or making plans for future vacations.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Pressure creates diamonds. It’s good to remember this as Mars moves into your 8th House of Transformation, which is one of the most intense parts of your chart, but also incredibly rewarding. You may feel like you have to put in more work in order to deal with the heavier aspects of life while the red planet visits this sector, but the challenges you encounter at this time are actually opportunities for growth. Change isn’t simple, but the rewards should be worth it.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Doubling up doubles your luck. There’s rarely been a better time to partner up as Mars enters your 7th House of Associations, giving your most important connections an extra dose of fire for the foreseeable future. This can heat up romantic connections, but it’s equally impactful for professional and platonic bonds. Regardless of context, this exciting influence also risks sparking stress or inequality if you aren’t careful. Make sure both people are pulling their weight, no matter the nature of the partnership.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Time to break a sweat! Action planet Mars is jogging into your 6th House of Wellness, making this the perfect moment to jump on the healthy-living bandwagon. Whether you’re already regularly going to the gym or haven’t had a proper workout in ages, this energy can get your body moving more than ever before. The results should be incredibly rewarding! Even so, don’t push yourself too hard, which Mars can entice you to do. If you burn out, you won’t be able to make progress.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

There’s no holding you back now, Pisces! You’re entering a cycle of positivity and excitement as Mars takes command of your fun-loving 5th house for the first time in two years, allowing you to make pleasure your number one priority. This can mean pursuing your heart in romantic directions, but it centers around your self-expression. Maybe you’re picking up an unfamiliar pursuit or delving into a favorite creative hobby. Either way, your creative juices are flowing. Don’t ignore your turn to show off.

MIAMI — Keibert Ruiz was a triple shy of the cycle, Jacob Young also had three hits and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Patrick Corbin continued his recent stretch of solid starts with 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball and Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer for the Nationals, who are 8-0 against the Marlins this season after going 6-26 against their NL East opponent the previous two seasons.

Corbin (5-12) allowed seven hits and matched a season high with eight strikeouts. The left-hander won his third consecutive start after going 2-12 in his previous 25 outings.

“Just try to continue to do what’s been working and go from there,” Corbin said. “Staying out of the middle of the plate and mixing it up. Continue to do that and keep these hitters off balance and locate pitches.”

Corbin, entering the final month of a six-year deal with Washington, has led the major leagues in losses the past three seasons.

“Patrick Corbin was really good again. That was awesome to see,” Nationals coach Dave Martinez said.

Ruiz continued his success at the Marlins home field, where he has 18 hits, including five for extra bases, over 16 games.

“I got my family here and obviously, it’s a different energy,” said Ruiz, who lives in South Florida during the off-season. “I was swinging at my pitches and not trying to do too much. That’s got to be the plan and to remain consistent.”

Young’s RBI single in the third put the Nationals ahead 1-0. Ruiz hit a leadoff double and raced home after Young’s line drive bounced inside the right-field foul line.

The Nationals padded their lead on Gallo’s home run in the fourth. It was his first homer since June 3 after missing 60 games because of a left hamstring strain.

“That’s the Joey Gallo we’ve seen for years,” Martinez said. “I hope he has a really good month not just for us but for him. He worked really hard to get back and when he starts hitting the ball like that, they usually come in bunches.”

Miami got on the board when Connor Norby hit a run-scoring double in the fifth.

Ruiz’s two-out solo shot in the sixth made it 5-1 and chased Max Meyer (3-5), who allowed five runs and nine hits. The rookie right-hander walked one and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings.

“I thought his stuff was better than his line would suggest,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said of Meyer. “He went away from his changeup after the second or third inning and became a two-pitch pitcher. His pitch to Gallo was a missed spot.”

Cristian Pache narrowed the deficit with an RBI double in the sixth before Washington regained the four-run advantage on Andrés Chaparro’s RBI groundout in the ninth.

Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards returned from the injured list and went 0 for 5. Before being sidelined because of back soreness on Aug. 24, Edwards took over the leadoff spot, hitting .349 with 22 stolen bases in 47 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Cade Cavalli (right elbow surgery) threw a 20-pitch bullpen Tuesday, his first since experiencing “dead arm” fatigue during a rehab outing in May. Depending on his progression, Cavalli could face hitters before the end of the season.

Marlins: OF Jesús Sánchez left because of a mild back muscle spasm after successfully stealing a base in the second. … RHP Anthony Bender (right shoulder impingement) threw a scoreless inning in a rehab outing with Triple-A Jacksonville on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.45) will start the finale of the two-game set for the Nationals on Wednesday while RHP Valente Bellozo (2-2, 4.32) will go for the Marlins.

By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to propose on Wednesday a tenfold increase in federal tax incentives for small business startup expenses, from $5,000 to $50,000, hoping to help spur a record 25 million new small business applications over her four-year term should she win the presidency in November.

She’s set to unveil the plan during a campaign stop in the Portsmouth area of New Hampshire — marking a rare deviation from the Midwestern and Sunbelt battlegrounds the Democrat has focused on in her race against former Republican President Donald Trump.

A Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a policy plan that hadn’t been released publicly, said Tuesday the change would cover the $40,000 it costs on average to start a business. The proposal would let new businesses wait to claim that deduction until they first turn a profit, to better maximize its impact lowering their taxes.

Such changes would likely require congressional approval. But a series of tax cuts approved during the Trump administration are set to expire at the end of next year, setting up a scenario where lawmakers may be ready to consider new tax policies. The proposal can help Harris show her support for entrepreneurs even as she’s called for higher corporate tax rates.

Since President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris in July, the vice president has focused on campaigning in the “ blue wall ” states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that have been the centerpiece of Democratic campaigns that have won the White House in recent decades.

She’s also frequently visited Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, all of which Biden narrowly won in 2020, and North Carolina, which last voted Democratic in a presidential race in 2008 but which she’s still hoping to flip from Trump. Biden won New Hampshire by 7 percentage points in 2020, though Trump came far closer to winning it against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

“The cost of living in New Hampshire is through the roof, their energy bills are some of highest in the country, and their housing market is the most unaffordable in history,” Trump posted last week on his social media platform.

Harris’ team says securing 25 million new business applications in four years if she wins the White House would exceed the roughly 19 million such applications filed since Biden took office. And those were millions more than the previous four years under Trump. The vice president’s goal would be a record for new small business applications — but records only go back about 20 years.

Applications to start a business don’t always translate to small businesses actually being formed. Still, Harris’ plan could keep new small businesses that do come to fruition from otherwise incurring more debt which, at a time of high interest rates, might help them better succeed.

In the weeks since Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket, she has offered relatively few major policy proposals — attempting to strike a political balance between injecting new energy into the race and continuing to support many of the Biden administration proposals she helped champion as vice president.

Harris’ small business plan follows her announcing last month proposed steps to fight inflation by working to lower grocery prices, and to use tax cuts and other incentives to encourage homeownership. The vice president has also proposed ending federal taxes on tips to service industry workers, an idea Trump proposed first.

The plan she’s introducing Wednesday further calls for developing a standard deduction for small businesses meant to save their owners time when doing their taxes, and making it easier to get occupational licenses — letting people work across state lines and businesses expand into new states. Harris also wants to offer federal incentives so state and local government will ease their regulations.

In an effort to spur business investment outside urban and suburban hubs, Harris is pledging to launch a small business expansion fund to enable community banks and federal entities to cover interest costs while small businesses are expanding or otherwise creating jobs. Her team says those efforts will focus especially on areas that traditionally receive less investment.

Fort Lauderdale leaders struggling to come up with a spot to house the homeless continued the debate Tuesday, well aware that the city might face lawsuits from citizens if they don’t come up with a plan soon.

For months, the Fort Lauderdale commission has been prepping for a statewide law against public camping and sleeping that takes effect Oct. 1. Cities across Florida that fail to enforce the controversial state law — signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March — can be sued starting Jan. 1.

Now Fort Lauderdale has been hit with a new unexpected wrinkle: Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony is making it clear the county jails will not be accepting homeless people who face arrest under local anti-camping laws.

“In the next few weeks, cities and counties throughout Florida will enact new ordinances to remove homeless persons from public parks, streets and buildings,” Tony wrote in an op-ed published by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “The jail is not the place to shelter and provide services to the homeless. I have directed our Department of Detention to no longer accept individuals who are brought to the jail for purely municipal ordinance violations. Rounding up the homeless and bringing them to downtown Fort Lauderdale or Pompano Beach to be housed in the county jails is neither a good solution, nor an available one.”

Downtown Fort Lauderdale, home to the county jail and main bus terminal, is a known hot spot for the homeless. In recent years, the homeless have found other havens, including the beach, alleyways and parking lots.

On Sunday, Fort Lauderdale mayoral candidate Jim Lewis shared what he thought was a great idea: Why not set up a homeless encampment next to Chase Stadium near Commercial Boulevard and Interstate 95, where Inter Miami plays?

The lot, currently being used for overflow parking on game day, is slated to become a park but is months away from breaking ground.

“We don’t know if we’re going to have a park in 2025, 2026 or 2027,” Lewis said. “But we know in October we’re going to have a homeless crisis problem where these people are going to have to go. Please find a place. Do it now.”

Commissioner John Herbst, who represents the district, blasted the idea on Tuesday.

“That’s zoned as a park,” he said. “We’re not putting it in a park. We will never have a homeless camp in a park.”

Lewis had this retort: “You go out there and look. It’s not a park. It’s a trash pile.”

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis listens to critics during a discussion over the city’s homeless crisis during a public meeting on Tuesday. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Another idea put forward by Commissioner Warren Sturman would have the city creating homeless villages in public parking lots for people living out of their cars.

The plan did get enthusiastic support from Herbst, who suggested the city set up a “safe parking zone” on the rooftop of the City Hall parking garage.

But critics, including Mayor Dean Trantalis and Vice Mayor Steve Glassman, are panning the idea as absurd, considering South Florida’s dangerous lightning storms and heat.

Resident Charlie King, a frequent critic of City Hall, suggested Fort Lauderdale bus its homeless people out of town, all the way to California.

“You should be handing out bus tickets,” King told the commission Tuesday. “We have to move these people out.”

Trantalis interjected with a question: “Bus ticket where?”

King was quick with an answer: “Anywhere. Would you like to go to Seattle? Would you like to go to San Diego?”

That idea was also rebuffed by Trantalis, who expressed frustration at the deadline set by the state.

“I’d really love to see the governor come in and suspend this until they work out the kinks,” Trantalis said. “It’s a big burden for both the Democratic and the Republican counties. (We all) need more time to fund this and plan for this.”

Glassman agreed.

“These unfunded mandates are difficult,” Glassman said. “You can’t just have laws passed in Tallahassee and have local governments (be forced to) figure it out and pay for it.”

Herbst’s response drew applause from the audience.

“I think we’ll have a better chance of seeing the governor suspend the sheriff,” he said, prompting claps from the crowd. “I hope Sheriff Tony reconsiders this before Tallahassee steps in and asks him if he’d like to pursue job opportunities elsewhere.”

Sturman defended his plan for “safe parking zones,” an idea borrowed from San Diego.

“Nothing’s perfect,” Sturman said. “It’s a temporary thing. But it’s better than what they (the homeless) have now. We should at least look at it, not shoot it down from the start.”

Trantalis noted that everyone was doing their best to find a solution with a fast-approaching deadline.

“Nothing is in stone,” he said. “These are just ideas we are putting out there. We’ve been talking. Now we have to put this talk into action.”

Glassman shared his concern that the onus was falling on Fort Lauderdale to fix a problem it did not create.

“This is not a Fort Lauderdale problem,” he said. “We can’t shoulder the burden (on our own).”

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

Finding fault in a 57-3 win is like pointing out a missed comma in a bestselling novel — unless that comma happens to be in the book title.

While UCF ran all over New Hampshire to 454 yards in Thursday’s season-opening victory, the Knights struggled to get the passing game off the ground.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson started slowly, missing on six of his first seven pass attempts, with his first completion coming at 2:24 of the first quarter. His second completion came at 3:08 of the second quarter.

Coach Gus Malzahn isn’t concerned about the slow start by his fifth-year senior transfer.

“It’s his first rodeo [here] and anytime you’ve got a new offense with new teammates … plus we didn’t do a great job around him early, either,” said Malzahn. “He didn’t play his best in the first quarter and he knows that and he’ll respond. In the second half, he settled down.”

Pictures: UCF Knights over New Hampshire 57-3!

Jefferson completed five of his next six passes before being replaced in the fourth quarter by backup Jacurri Brown. Five of his seven completions went for double-digit yards, including touchdown passes of 49 and 22 to Myles Montgomery and Johnny Richardson.

“He settled down,” said junior receiver Xavier Townsend. “I think coming out and being his first game [at UCF], everybody has those jitters and wants to make plays so that he might have gotten a little tense, but he calmed down and started playing football like he usually does.”

Added Malzahn: “He will get more comfortable each game out.”

How important is the passing game vs. Sam Houston?

While the Knights figure to lean heavily on their No. 1-ranked rushing attack Saturday, they hope to avoid another slow start in the air.

Still, it all comes down to how the game unfolds, according to Malzahn.

“The bottom line is being able to take what a defense gives you,” he said. “We’re going to be able to run the football, but defenses know that so when they bring extra guys, you’ve got to be able to throw the football. We need to be balanced, there’s no doubt.”

UCF not surprised by ground game, eager to showcase potential

The Bearkats allowed Rice to throw for 227 yards in their 34-14 win last weekend. Owls quarterback E.J. Warner completed seven consecutive passes at one point before finishing 27 of 44.

Jefferson knows it comes down to patience.

“I’m extremely comfortable [in this offense], but the main thing was it was the first game,” he said following the opening win against the Wildcats. “The main thing is me being able to get settled in as quick as possible and understand what coach Gus is going to call, ways that me and him can communicate better and get me going early and get me into a rhythm.”

Will there be more of a pass rush?

UCF held New Hampshire to 162 yards but failed to secure a sack for the first time since last season’s 24-23 loss at Texas Tech.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Knights pressured the Wildcats 14 times, resulting in 8 quarterback hurries and 6 hits.

New UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson is not Cam Newton, but who is? | Commentary

“We did hit the quarterback quite a few times, but give him credit, he was getting the ball out and we had pretty good coverage, too,” said Malzahn.

Fifth-year defensive tackle Ricky Barber, who finished with a team-high 5 pressures, has been impressed with the defensive scheme under new coordinator Ted Roof.

“The defense we’re in is way more aggressive,” said Barber. “It lets the D-line go and be more playmakers.”

Sam Houston quarterback Hunter Watson was pressured 15 times and sacked 7 times by Rice.

“We should just keep doing what we’re doing,” added Barber. “Every week, that ball isn’t going to come out as quick, so we just have to keep hitting the quarterback and eventually we’ll get the ball.”

How has the return game improved?

After a disappointing 2023 season in the return game, UCF got off to a much better start.

The Knights amassed more than 190 return yards, pushing the team into the top three in punt and kick returns in the Big 12.

3 things learned from UCF’s win over New Hampshire

The big reason was Townsend, who finished with 170 combined yards on nine punt and kick returns, ranking him third in the conference in both categories.

“I feel comfortable back there,” said Townsend. “With experience comes comfortability, so I trust the guys holding up on kick and punt returns. Knowing that they’re blocking their guys, it’s a trust factor, so I got to try to do my job.”

The junior receiver has earned the trust of his coaches, too.

“Xavier has a chance to be one of the better returners in all of college football, but we have got to do a great job and that needs to be our strength this year,” said Malzahn.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

If you go …

UCF vs. Sam Houston

When: Saturday, FBC Mortgage Stadium, 6:30

TV: ESPN+

 

Florida’s third season under Billy Napier could not have gotten off to a worse start than a 41-17 drubbing in the Swamp by rival Miami. The Gators were beaten on both sides of the ball in every way possible. Napier’s offseason overhaul, optimism and assurances fell as flat. Talk of a much-improved defense proved to be false hopes and empty words. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark keep it real discussing Napier’s worst loss and potentially the beginning of the end of his time in Gainesville.

• Billy Napier over sold and under delivered (:00)
• Turning point (7:15)
• Thumbs up (11:45)
• Thumbs down (14:14)
• Second guess(19:53)
• Biggest concern (27:51)
• Reason for optimism (30:20)
• On the spot (32:40)
• Billy’s banter (35:07)
• Defining move (39:49)
• Final thought (42:24)
• Jeremy Foley’s Corner (46:25)

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

By MARK SCOLFORO

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man arrested last week at a Pennsylvania rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had hoped to hang a banner to protest Trump’s policies, Johnstown’s police chief said Tuesday.

Authorities announced that misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest were filed against Stephen A. Weiss, 36, of Pittsburgh, who was taken into custody at Friday’s Trump rally.

Johnstown Police Chief Richard Pritchard said investigators do not know what the banner said because arena staff apparently discarded it. He said it was made from a bed sheet and that Weiss told a detective that he does not believe in Trump’s policies.

Pritchard said Weiss faked a foot injury and concealed a tube of glue in a metal crutch.

Weiss declined comment when reached by phone Tuesday, saying he was seeking legal advice.

The arrest affidavit by a Johnstown police detective said Weiss “ran onto the arena floor, jumped onto the media stage (and) began to yell towards the main stage where President Trump was speaking.” Weiss allegedly would not release himself from steel barricade fencing “and force had to be used,” police said in the charging document.

A man who accompanied Weiss to the rally told police he was unaware of Weiss’ plan, Pritchard said. The second man was not charged, the chief said.

Weiss also was charged with disrupting a public meeting, a misdemeanor. The Secret Service questioned Weiss on Friday and he was released later that night. He has a court hearing scheduled for Oct. 9.

A Trump campaign spokesman offered no immediate comment Tuesday.

The disruption occurred shortly after Trump criticized major media outlets for what he said was unfavorable coverage.

As Weiss was led away, the former president told the crowd: “Is there anywhere that’s more fun to be than a Trump rally?”

There has been heightened scrutiny of security at Trump rallies since a gunman fired at him, grazing his ear, during an outdoor rally in July in Butler, Pennsylvania. Security at political events has been noticeably tighter since then.

In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins and David Furones break down Miami’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars and make their picks for Week 1.

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By MARK LONG

GAINESVILLE — It sure feels like it’s over for Florida coach Billy Napier.

It might not even be close, but the lack of tangible progress in Napier’s third season seems to be more of a head-scratcher than the Gator’s six-game losing streak and a 41-17 shellacking at the hands of Cam Ward and No.19 Miami in the Swamp.

And the outside noise is deafening.

“You’re going to get criticism when you perform the way we did Saturday in certain parts of our team,” Napier said Monday.

It was merely one, ugly home game. And the Gators insist they have the talent, the time and the conviction to bounce back and turn the season around. They should get a reprieve against lower-division Samford (0-1) on Saturday night.

Then again, that game could be a sign of how far the Florida fan base has swung from enthusiastic to apathetic during Napier’s tenure.

“I think ultimately a loss early can be a blessing if you don’t waste it,” Napier said. “We got to go to work on the football part. I think we got to become a more consistent team, and we have to execute better.

“If we can focus on those things and not necessarily what some guy in his basement is saying in rural central Florida on social media, then we got a chance to get better. I think that’s the key. Sometimes you deserve criticism. I have no excuses. We got to go get it fixed.”

Florida had significant issues on both sides of the ball against Miami — which entered the season with a strikingly similar resume under a third-year head coach — and closely resembled Napier’s previous two versions. And that’s the problem.

Undisciplined penalties? Check. Pushed around on the lines of scrimmage? Check. Inconsistent quarterback play? Check. Throw in Napier’s continued conservativeness — he twice dialed up runs on third-and-5 — and there’s an argument to be made that the Gators have actually regressed from Game 1 (a last-second victory against then-No. 7 Utah) to Game 26 (a lopsided loss to an in-state rival).

Napier is now 11-15 at Florida, including 2-10 against ranked opponents and 1-8 against rivals Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. There also are those back-to-back, double-digit losses to Kentucky and a 3-11 record in his last 14 games against Power Four teams.

And with seven ranked teams remaining on the schedule, it could get worse.

The Gators are unlikely to fire Napier anytime soon; the last four Florida coaches sent packing lasted until at least late October. Moving on from Napier could be complicated, too.

Florida would be on the hook for more than $25 million to fire him during or after this season, with half of that due almost immediately. However, the school could try to use Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada’s lawsuit against Napier — the one regarding a failed, $14 million name, image and likeness deal — or the related NCAA investigation to mitigate Napier’s buyout.

And is anyone at Florida really ready to fire Napier? Current Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin hired Napier and has preached patience through the rebuild. Plus, Florida is searching for a new school president after Ben Sasse recently resigned to be closer to his wife, who was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Former school president Kent Fuchs agreed to serve as Florida’s interim. Fuchs hired Stricklin and approved the hiring of Napier.

Napier will get chances to silence some of his critics in the coming weeks. The Gators would need to beat No. 20 Texas A&M next week and then Mississippi State and UCF to create some breathing room.

“It’s only Week 1,” running back Montrell Johnson said. “I’d say we still have time. The message to the team has been just to respond. … It’s not the end of the world. Go out there and fix our mistakes. Look back on this as motivation and use it throughout the whole entire season.”

South Florida’s police oversight boards have been forced to a halt after a state law went into effect in July that bans civilian boards from investigating police misconduct.

Fort Lauderdale’s Citizens’ Review Board no longer has access to internal affairs investigations of excessive force or discrimination, or the ability to tell a city manager what a proper punishment should look like.

Nor will Miami-Dade’s Independent Civilian Panel or the city’s Civilian Investigative Panel, which the city informed last week it could not continue funding.

Broward’s Police and Criminal Justice Review Board, created to study issues in policing after the racial justice protests in 2020, was suspended in June, and a proposed ordinance set to be heard at a commission meeting on Thursday would discontinue it.

Elsewhere in the state, the trend continues. In Tallahassee, the minutes for the Citizens Police Review Board’s final meeting in May simply state, “House Bill 601 will go in effect on July 1, 2024 and the CPRB will be dissolved.” In Orlando, the web page for the board now gives an error. A spokesperson told Orlando Weekly it has been “disassembled for the time being.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis had signed the bill, HB 601, in April, describing the oversight boards at a news conference as “stacked with activists.”

“You have review boards, that’s fine, but it’s got to be done in ways where you have the Sheriff or Chief of Police appointing people,” the governor said. “It can’t be people that have an agenda.”

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The new law forbids civilian boards from overseeing internal affairs cases or use-of-force complaints and prohibits local governments from appointing their members. As an alternative, it allows law enforcement agencies to create their own “civilian oversight” boards composed of three to seven members, all appointed by the chief or sheriff. Those boards can offer opinions only on policies and procedures, not cases of misconduct or internal investigations.

In Fort Lauderdale, after the bill was signed, members of the board awaited instructions from the city attorney as to what would happen next. The city commission then discussed the item at a June meeting.

“It completely eviscerates a longstanding policy and practice we have in our city,” Mayor Dean Trantalis said.

Around the same time, Paul Eichner, who was chair of the board, said he received word from the city essentially saying “this is the end of the board as you know it based on the new state law.”

“The city followed the law, which is what it’s obligated to do,” Eichner said. “And the law eliminated the police review board, which I think is contrary to what the city wanted and what the community wanted, and I think ultimately it’s doing a disservice to community. But the law must be followed.”

Eichner and the board’s vice chair, Marc Dickerman, had tried to raise alarms when the bill was moving through the Legislature, hoping the city would lobby against it. Lobbyists for Florida’s local governments and for Miami’s Civilian Investigative Panel appeared to speak on the bill, state records show, but to no avail.

In June, Fort Lauderdale’s board held a final meeting to review its last cases, one involving officers who overlooked several gunshot wounds in a man they called in as an overdose and another involving an officer calling people the N-word. Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz was there, Dickerman said, and thanked them. So were members of the police union and NAACP Broward president Marsha Ellison.

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Prior to the law, Florida had approximately 21 civilian police oversight boards, according to the LeRoy Collins Institute, a nonpartisan policy organization at Florida State University. Many are now closed or will be soon. Some tried harder to fight it. Earlier this month, Tampa’s city council decided not to scrap its board after hearing Miami had not yet shut its own board down, though the board is suspended until further notice. And Miami’s CIP filed a lawsuit against the city Friday to try to keep its funding.

Supporters of the bill said the boards undermined police officers’ work and were made up of civilians who did not understand policing. The statewide police unions, the Florida Police Benevolent Association and Fraternal Order of Police, openly advocated for it.

“These boards were basically put together to, in my opinion, second-guess some of the police officers’ decisions,” Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said during a committee meeting about the bill.

Members of the boards argued they did not have such an effect. Many, like Fort Lauderdale’s, served only an advisory role, without the power to issue punishments or subpoena people for investigations. Their recommendations were not always for a harsher punishment; sometimes, they defended officers accused of misconduct and argued for less severe discipline.

Even without much power, members felt their work was vital, serving as a window into the world of policing and the disciplinary process that is often invisible to the public and offering “solace to the community that the right thing is being done,” Eichner said.

Dickerman recalled two times in particular he felt thankful for the board’s existence. Once, when a transgender person complained about being misgendered by an officer, he said he found a video from the Department of Justice with advice for officers dealing with transgender people that officers began to use in their trainings. Another time, an officer open-hand slapped a homeless person. The case went to court, and the officer got a 20-day suspension, but the board recommended a harsher punishment.

In Miami, the CIP had more power, reviewing complaints from civilians and within the police departments themselves. It independently investigated officers accused of misconduct and their histories and issued reports on patterns of abuse of power.

“We were a place where members of the community or even members of the police department could come to us and say: ‘Hey, I was wronged either by a police officer or the department itself, can you help me?’ And we never turned anyone away,” Rodney Jacobs Jr., the CIP’s executive director, told WLRN.

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Now, local police agencies may follow the new law and launch advisory boards with only a policy recommendation role. Some existing boards already appeared to do that and closed down anyway.

Broward County’s board, launched, like many others, in 2020 after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a police officer during an arrest in Minnesota. It focused on research and recommendations about “police use of force, police misconduct, and such other matters pertaining to bias in the criminal justice system” and did not analyze specific cases, according to its website. Still, it will likely close its doors. Members met in late July and decided “it would be impracticable to retain the purpose of the Review Board while complying with HB 601,” the proposed ordinance states.

A member of the board told the South Florida Sun Sentinel Friday that the group discussed the matter at length and not everyone wanted to shut down. But they ultimately decided the law was too broad and restrictive to follow while trying to research policing issues like use-of-force and decided that continuing to meet could make Broward County a target of possible retaliation by the state.

The Delray Beach Police Advisory board discusses general issues like the number of crimes or internal affairs cases in a given time frame, meeting minutes show. It is unclear whether that board will remain active. Multiple members did not return voicemails Friday.

Some see a board that only makes policy recommendations as ineffective. Eichner said he had already emailed Schultz and let him know he wasn’t interested, should the police chief create such a board.

“Being in a committee appointed by the police chief to review policy and procedure is sort of like a bite without teeth,” he said. “And it doesn’t do anything to help the community by way of reviewing police cases that we were doing.”

Dickerman does hope to join such a board if it comes into existence, even if it’s a “rubber stamp type of committee.” Regardless, he said, the state of police oversight in Florida has taken a turn.

“There’s going to be less transparency,” he said. “We’re not going to know what officers are doing. We’re not going to know what kind of consequences they face.”

Here are the top stories for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Get the weather forecast for today here.

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get our free Morning Update email. Sign up here.

Fort Lauderdale’s Historic Downtowner and Maxwell Room set to close in October

Spirit Airlines furloughs 186 pilots over Labor Day weekend; number is less than projected

Dolphins Deep Dive: Watch premiere of our live stream Tuesday at noon as 2024 season kicks off

Broward can’t arrest its way out of homelessness | Gregory Tony

‘We all failed you.’ Heartbreak at funeral for Israeli-American hostage in Jerusalem

Tropical depression could form in Caribbean this week; system emerges off Africa

Florida man sentenced for attacking Jewish teens

Rep. Amesty indicted after state ignores multiple red flags | Scott Maxwell

Labor Day hotel strikes reflect the frustrations of a workforce largely made up of women of color

Asking Eric: Daughter-in-law wants to be too close

Omari Maynard thought life was great when his partner Shamony came home from the hospital with a baby boy, their second child.  Shamony died two weeks later from a pulimnary embolism, a pregnancy complication.

Maynard now has two small children to care for and speaks out often to let single fathers whose partners died from childbirth know they are not alone.

Losing a loved one from childbirth complications is more common than many realize.

A five-year average shows 24 women per 100,000 births in Florida died during pregnancy, delivery, or shortly after delivery. Research shows the vast majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Only a year ago, the state’s high death rate triggered the Florida’s Hospital Association to issue a statewide call to action urging hospitals to play a stronger role in reducing the incidence of maternal death in Florida.

Now, more public and private funding is coming to the Sunshine State to keep new mothers alive and healthy.

Last week, the Biden administration announced it is focusing on maternal health in this election year and will provide $568 million in funding to states to make improvements. The U.S. has a growing maternal mortality crisis.

Florida’s Association of Healthy Starts Coalition will receive $12.9 million to support the home visiting program it oversees in 35 counties.

Also last week, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced a new $118.5 million five-year investment to build the public health infrastructure to better identify pregnancy-related complications and prevent pregnancy-related deaths. It will do that through funding for states, including Florida, to improve their Maternal Mortality Review Committees. Those groups review deaths that have occurred within one year of the end of a pregnancy, determine if those pregnancy-related deaths were preventable, and recommend ways to prevent them in the future. Florida has a Maternal Mortality Review Committee, but its last updated report on the state website is from 2020.

In April, six Florida organizations secured federal funding through a program sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The agency gave more than $6 million in funding to Florida organizations, $1 million to each of six programs: North Broward Hospital District (Broward Health); Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition in Jacksonville; University of Miami; Florida Department of Health (Orlando); the Center for Health Equity in Quincy; and Reach Up in Tampa.

Private donors also are recognizing the need for more investment in maternal health in the state. The Florida Blue Foundation announced this month it is accepting grant applications from Florida-based nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to advancing maternal health. Florida Blue spokesman Jorge Martinez said the foundation will give $3 million to groups that address maternal health, each receiving a three- or four-year grant ranging from $270,000 to 400,000.

“Nearly one-fifth of Florida counties are considered maternity care deserts where almost 21% of pregnant women receive inadequate or no maternal care,“ said Susan Towler, executive director of the Florida Blue Foundation. “By working together with nonprofits that are focused on increasing access to quality maternal health care services and support, we can improve health outcomes by ensuring that all mothers, regardless of where they live, have access to the care they need at every stage of their pregnancy and beyond.”

The winners of the Florida Blue grants will be announced in the first quarter of 2025.

After learning about maternal deaths, leaders at the Health Foundation of South Florida also have been investing in improving maternal health. So far in 2024, the foundation has invested $2.6 million dollars in maternal health projects in South Florida. This money has gone towards improving community-based doula access in Miami-Dade County, increasing access to prenatal care in maternity care deserts like Monroe County, and supporting the opening of an OB/GYN clinic and Community Resource Center in Broward.

“South Florida has a health equity crisis, especially when it comes to maternal health,” said Loreen Chant, President and CEO at Health Foundation of South Florida. “Unnecessary deaths and complications are occurring far too frequently.”

Chant said the Health Foundation of South Florida works with community-based organizations, hospital systems and government agencies to remove obstacles to quality maternal care.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel published Born To Die: Florida’s infant mortality crisis earlier this year, a series that offered a deeper look into Florida’s high infant mortality rate. Maternal care experts said a baby’s outcome and a mother’s health are closely tied. Some experts say more funding and training of doulas and midwives will help.

In Florida’s rural areas, the ability to access care is worsening. A report in Becker’s Hospital Review shows that 20 of the 22 rural hospitals in the state have lost their labor and delivery units. That leaves 91% of Florida’s rural hospitals without obstetric services, making it the state with the highest percentage of rural hospitals lacking OB or maternity care.

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

Q: Gotta get guys with born skill and talent, and stop relying on working hard. – Darius.

A: What I have found most interesting amid this slow period of the offseason is the emerging notion that some type of serious revamp in franchise approach is required after the Heat dared fail to qualify for the Eastern Conference finals for the fourth time in five seasons. Granted, consecutive play-in appearances hardly is the desired path to playoff success. But the best way to rework with the type of talent you suggest is to bow out of the playoffs and into the lottery, something that has not happened for the Heat since 2019, when Tyler Herro was drafted. Meanwhile, an argument could be made that with Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and even Nikola Jovic that the Heat have mined lottery-level talent without falling to lottery-level depths. Yes, talent matters. But so does effort. Through it all, including those three runs to at least the East finals during the Jimmy Butler era, the Heat hardly are void of talent. What they have been void of recently is . . . getting and keeping players on the court. What needs to stop is the attendance issue (moreso, the lack thereof). That starts with Jimmy and Tyler.

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Q: So Jimmy Butler is going to leave the Heat next summer to sign with the Nets? And the Nets are going to stop rebuilding to sign a player who will be 36? Come on. – Orie.

A: Hey, nothing else is going on, so someone is going to throw stuff somewhere. While the Nets will be flush with cap cash next summer, if that is going to be broadcast as Sean Marks’ rebuilding plan in Brooklyn then someone else likely will be rebuilding there. Having cycled through Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, expect something a bit more sensible, low-key from the Nets. Of course, sensibility hardly has been a Nets touchstone over the past two decades.

Q: Jimmy Butler touring China reminds me of Dwyane Wade there in the offseasons. – Andy.

A: Such are the trappings of the same sneaker deal, an arrangement that started with Dwyane Wade and then became part of the Marquette alumni club. The difference is that with so much more social media these days, Jimmy’s tour comes off more as a travelog. Jimmy’s passport tends to be flush with stamps by the time he returns for training camp.

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 3, the 247th day of 2024. There are 119 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 3, 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell became the first person to drive an automobile more than 300 miles-per-hour, speeding across the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Also on this date:

In 1861, during the Civil War, Confederate forces invaded the border state of Kentucky, which had declared its neutrality in the conflict.

In 1894, the United States celebrated the first federal Labor Day holiday.

In 1783, representatives of the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized U.S. sovereignty.

In 1939, Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany, two days after the Nazi invasion of Poland; in a radio address, Britain’s King George VI said, “With God’s help, we shall prevail.”

In 1943, Allied forces invaded Italy during World War II, the same day Italian officials signed a secret armistice with the Allies.

In 1976, America’s Viking 2 lander touched down on Mars to take the first close-up, color photographs of the red planet’s surface.

In 1999, a French judge closed a two-year inquiry into the car crash that killed Princess Diana, dismissing all charges against nine photographers and a press motorcyclist, and concluding the accident was caused by an inebriated driver.

In 2019, Walmart said it would stop selling ammunition for handguns and short-barrel rifles, and the store chain requested that customers not openly carry firearms in its stores; the announcement followed a shooting at a Walmart store in Texas that left 22 people dead.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Singer-musician Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) is 81.
• Actor Valerie Perrine is 81.
• Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet is 71.
• Rock guitarist Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 69.
• Actor Steve Schirripa (TV: “The Sopranos”) is 66.
• Author Malcolm Gladwell is 61.
• Actor Charlie Sheen is 59.
• Filmmaker Noah Baumbach is 55.
• Dance-rock musician Redfoo (LMFAO) is 49.
• Actor Garrett Hedlund is 40.
• Olympic gold medal snowboarder Shaun White is 38.
• Model-actor Kaia Gerber is 23.
• Actor Jack Dylan Grazer is 21.

General Daily Insight for September 03, 2024

It’s almost impossible to know what’s what under today’s stars in advance. Energetic Mars is making a difficult square to watery Neptune at 12:10 am EDT, which is going to leave us all feeling like we’re wading through a swamp. Meanwhile, the Moon in Virgo will oppose Saturn, then square Jupiter, making it difficult to know whether to step on the gas or hit the brakes. A final lunar quincunx to Chiron will encourage healing, but it may be a rather confusing process.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Knowing where you’re going isn’t a simple thing, by any means. This cosmic confusion is due to a tough square between Mars and Neptune, making it almost impossible to feel like you’re making genuine progress. With Mars in your communication sector, you’ll want to be especially careful when it comes to using your words. Neptune is very present in this picture, fogging over your view of the details. You could wind up with your foot in your mouth if you aren’t cautious.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

The urge to be your most giving self is strong today, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea. Mars in your money-focused 2nd house is squaring off against Neptune in your altruistic 11th house. Neptune loves to be self-sacrificing, which could tempt you into making a big donation or even giving away a bunch of your things to a good cause. That’s certainly admirable, but you may give more than is wise, so don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

It’s not your imagination if you feel all out of sorts. You’ve got more energy than normal while Mars is in your busy sign, but using that energy productively or helpfully will be almost impossible as Mars locks into a confusing square with foggy Neptune in your 10th House of Ambition. Don’t have a panic attack if your goals suddenly seem to evaporate or your motivations become far less of a driving force. Things aren’t clear with Neptune involved, so avoid overthinking them.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Every sentence may feel punctuated with a question mark. You’re prone to being a little out of sorts while Mars stumbles through your subconscious sector, but things will become even stranger when it picks a fight with illusory Neptune in your high-minded 9th house. You may feel like you’re tumbling down a rabbit hole toward wonderland, only to keep falling with no destination in sight. That’s okay — when it’s so difficult to get anywhere meaningful, you’re allowed to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your mind is caught in a game of tug-of-war. Your popularity is undeniable while Mars moves through your social 11th house, but the disagreement between Mars and Neptune in your deeply private 8th house could make you feel like people are expecting too much from you. There’s nothing wrong with taking space for yourself, so be willing to draw a line in the sand if need be. That said, Neptune can blur boundaries, so it may be difficult to decide where that line should be.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You may feel like you have to do it all yourself today. Mars is in your career sector, giving you the impetus to make a name for yourself, but watch out for the red planet’s clash with Neptune in your partnership sector! Someone might not be living up to your expectations. This can be especially frustrating if you can normally rely on this particular person. The more you lean on others at this time, the more likely you are to be disappointed with their efforts.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Your responsibilities aren’t exactly taking top priority right now. You’re much more eager to go off on an adventure or dive into a good book while Mars wings its way through your 9th House of Growth, but you may feel like you’re missing something when Mars squares Neptune in your 6th House of Practice. Neptune is a rather confusing planet, however, so even if you try to be your most responsible self, it will be difficult to make any progress. Let yourself daydream instead.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

It’s difficult to know how much of yourself to share with others, at least under the current stars. You’re prone to keeping your cards close to your chest while Mars moves through your concentrated 8th house, but its square to Neptune in your expressive 5th house could make it feel like the spotlight will find you, no matter what. The danger here is oversharing — especially information that involves others — because you might spill a secret without even realizing. Choose your words carefully.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Someone may push your buttons without even understanding the impact of their actions. Mars is stirring up your 7th House of Relationships while currently struggling against mysterious Neptune in your 4th House of Emotions, so be wary of someone saying or doing something that leaves you reeling. That being said, Neptune can obscure the truth, so you may not grasp exactly why you’re so upset — or perhaps you simply don’t know how to react. There’s no need to force a conclusion.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Don’t be surprised if you can’t accomplish a lot right now. You’re more capable than usual as motivator Mars moves through your efficient 6th house, but the red planet will make a difficult alignment to Neptune in your busy 3rd house, which could result in you aimlessly spinning your wheels. Co-workers or other people in your vicinity could prove especially unhelpful or unreliable as well, so try not to expect too much from anyone for the time being — yourself included.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Fun can be free, but it can also come with a price tag. Mars is encouraging you to enjoy yourself while it tours your 5th House of Pleasure, but you’ll need to be wary of throwing your money around when it snaps at Neptune in your income sector. An opportunity could present itself, only for it to wind up costing way more than you originally anticipated, or perhaps a few little indulgences add up to break the bank. A strict budget is your best friend.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Knowing your mind isn’t always easy, especially on a day like this. Mars in your demonstrative 4th house is riling up your feelings, which can be cathartic but also heavy. However, you’ll likely have trouble knowing what to do with all that internal motion when Mars squares Neptune in your sign, casting a veil of confusion and mystery over your soul’s inner workings. Instead of trying to force things, let yourself float around in this place of uncertainty. Certainty will arrive soon enough.

The 49ers placed Ricky Pearsall on the reserve/non-football injury list Monday as he recovers from being shot during an attempted robbery over the weekend, ruling him out for at least the first four games of their season.

Pearsall, 23, will be eligible to come off the list for their Oct. 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals, though the team has given no indication whether he is expected to be ready to play by then.

The 49ers signed offensive tackle Brandon Parker to a one-year deal to take Pearsall’s spot on the 53-man roster.

Pearsall, the 49ers’ first-round pick in this spring’s NFL draft, was shot Saturday in San Francisco’s Union Square, police said. He was shot in the chest and the bullet exited his back, according to a Facebook post by his mother, who also said he was “extremely lucky” that his vital organs were not hit. Video from the scene showed Pearsall holding a bandage over an apparent wound on the upper right part of his chest.

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The rookie wide receiver was released from San Francisco General Hospital on Sunday. The attempted robber, a 17-year-old male from Tracy, was also admitted to the same hospital with a gunshot wound after a struggle with Pearsall. Police officers took him into custody at the scene, and his condition is unknown.

The 49ers’ wide receiver corps without Pearsall will include the recently extended Brandon Aiyuk as well as Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell and rookie Jacob Cowing.

San Francisco also signed defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu to its practice squad and released offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez from the squad.

By REGINA GARCIA CANO and JORGE RUEDA

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A Venezuelan judge on Monday issued an arrest warrant for the opposition’s former presidential candidate Edmundo González as part of a criminal investigation into the results of the disputed July election.

The warrant was issued at the request of authorities who accuse Gonzalez, a former diplomat, of various charges including conspiracy, falsifying documents and usurpation of powers.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan authorities on Monday sought an arrest warrant for the opposition’s former presidential candidate Edmundo González, just over a month after election officials declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner of a disputed election that his opponents say he lost.

The prosecutor seeking the warrant in its request to a judge focused on terrorism-related crimes cites various charges against González, a former diplomat, including conspiracy, falsifying documents and usurpation of powers.

The request comes after González failed to appear three times to answer questions from prosecutors in a criminal investigation stemming from the disputed election results.

Ruling party-loyal electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor of the July 28 election, hours after polls closed. They did not show any detailed results to back up their claim as they had offered in previous presidential elections.

The lack of transparency has drawn international condemnation against Maduro and his allies.

The opposition, however, managed to obtain more than 80% of vote tally sheets, which are printed by every electronic voting machine, and said they show Maduro lost by a wide margin against González.

González was summoned to the prosecutor’s office as recently as Friday. Attorney General Tarek William Saab opened the investigation against González after he and opposition leader María Corina Machado revealed what they said were the results shown in the tally sheets and published them online.

Maduro’s ruling party and the National Electoral Council have refused to publish their copies of tally sheets that the electronic voting machines printed after polls closed.

Instead, as international pressure mounts to release a breakdown of results, Maduro asked the country’s high court to audit the electoral process. The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, stacked with Maduro loyalists, concluded on Aug. 22 that the vote counts published by the opposition were false and certified Maduro’s victory.

González, 75, has not made any public appearances since the day after the election. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

González has questioned the prosecutors’ actions for lack of due process guarantees and accused Saab, a longtime Maduro ally, of being a “political accuser” who “condemns in advance.” He rejected the interview summons arguing, among other issues, that they did not specify the condition under which he was expected to appear.

“They have lost all sense of reality,” Machado, referring to Maduro’s government, wrote on X after the attorney general’s office published the warrant request on Instagram. “By threatening the President Elect, they only manage to unite us more and increase the support of Venezuelans and the world for Edmundo González.”

An AP review of the tally sheets released by the opposition indicates that González won significantly more votes than the government has claimed. The analysis casts serious doubt on the official declaration that Maduro won.

The AP processed almost 24,000 images representing the results from 79% of voting machines, resulting in tabulations of 10.26 million votes. The processed tally sheets also showed González receiving more votes on 20,476 receipts compared to only 3,157 for Maduro.

___

Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City. ___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Fort Lauderdale is about to lose one of its longest-running drinking, dining and dancing venues — the Historic Downtowner and Maxwell Ballroom — which for decades welcomed patrons who sought to celebrate, commiserate or just chill out on the south bank of the New River.

“Sadly, I must announce the closure of the Historic Downtowner and Maxwell Room, effective October 6,” owner Roger Craft wrote in a Facebook post that took staffers by surprise.

“This decision was not made lightly,” he said. “I carefully weighed the hard facts and numerous complex issues against every possible solution and alternative.  In the end, there just wasn’t a reasonable or viable option to keep the business going at this location. I hope that the legacy of the Downtowner will live on through the fun times, the friendships, the happy guests, and the countless memories we’ve all created.”

The post said his “greatest joy” in owning the establishment was the “incredible people I’ve had the privilege to meet, and the friendships formed over the years. As this chapter of the Downtowner and Maxwell Room closes, I sincerely thank you all for your unwavering support, love, and the unforgettable memories we’ve shared together.”

The Labor Day announcement stunned patrons and staff members. The latter declined to comment for the record until they heard the news in person from their boss. He was not available at the restaurant Monday afternoon and did not respond to a voicemail.

But responses to his social media post quickly mounted, with more than 500 posts accumulating by 5 p.m.

“My first Hurricane experience in South Florida was in 2004 when I moved there and it was at the Downtowner,” wrote Dusty Wigmore. “I was amazed how the business stayed open to support the locals and be there when they may have not been able to go home, or didn’t want to venture out far from home. They were amazing and it was a great experience for just getting settled into the neighborhood. Thanks for all the great memories!”

Visitors enjoy the waterfront atmosphere along the New River in front of the Downtowner in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, the day its ownership announced the popular establishment will shut its doors for good in early October. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

But inside the restaurant,  one longtime customer, Brewster Knott, who said he lives in a nearby high rise, was not as charitable.

“I am upset because the staff of this establishment has made every day more powerful and happy for everyone,” Knott said. He vowed to mount a personal campaign to find a job for each employee.

The venue is nestled in a 23,000-square foot riverfront building at 10 South New River Drive E., just east of South Andrews Avenue, near a neighborhood where development has exploded with high-rise residential buildings. To the southeast is a familiar taxpayer-funded gated community, better known as the Main Jail, which is adjacent to the Broward County Courthouse.

Downtowner patrons who dine outdoors have a close-up view of recreational and commercial boats of all sizes as they ease their way along the New River. At one point Monday, one of the vessels represented another symbol of Fort Lauderdale history: a passenger boat belonging to the venerable Jungle Queen tour franchise stopped to wait for the Andrew Avenue drawbridge to rise and allow it to pass through.

To the rear of the restaurant, the Historic Maxwell Room with its wooden dance floor and a history that dates back to the Roaring 1920s, was empty and silent Monday.

A century-old history

According to the venue’s website, the ballroom was named after a developer, Fred Maxwell, and “opened its doors in 1925, showcasing the timeless elegance of Mediterranean Revival architecture. The hurricane of 1926 dealt a devastating blow to the Maxwell Arcade, damaging its iconic electric-lit sign, and much of the structure. Despite the destruction, the arcade endured and now houses both the Historic Downtowner and Historic Maxwell Room.”

The site notes the Downtowner has served the community for more than 30 years. The Maxwell Room hosted weddings, receptions and corporate gatherings while the Downtowner became “a cherished venue for various experiences such as Sunday brunch.”

In 2018, the building changed hands for $5.75 million, with the investor saying he was “just going to hold onto it in the short-term and mid-term and see what happens.” There was no immediate indication that another potential deal is in the offing this time.

One staffer who declined to be be quoted by name wondered Monday what the Downtowner’s customer traffic will be like through October, now that word of the impending closing has gone public.

There is one major event that could serve as a fond farewell for all: a “Craftober Fest,” a street festival with live music, craft beer and food.

It’s scheduled for Sept. 28, according to the restaurant’s Facebook account.

The recent controversy over Florida’s plan to build golf courses and pickleball courts in state parks is not just a state-level issue — it’s happening locally.

Our local parks are under siege, led by our own officials. Fort Lauderdale voters approved a $200 million parks bond, now on your tax bill, to expand and protect our green spaces. Instead, local politicians gave away these parks and now we have to pay to use them.

For example, the city gave away a significant portion of Snyder Park for the private development of 40-plus pickleball courts and a stadium. The same officials pushed for the private development of portions of Holiday Park and Huizenga Park. They also have been at the forefront of efforts to hand over other public lands, like One Stop Shop and Bahia Mar, to private interests.

Even more troubling, environmental groups have endorsed these candidates despite these officials violating everything that these groups stand for. These same politicians, responsible for environmental damage, are once again seeking our votes.

We must elect city leaders who will protect our parks and public lands.

John E. Rodstrom III, Fort Lauderdale

A misuse of money at UF

It’s astounding to read about the tripling of the University of Florida president Ben Sasse’s budget expenses in 17 months.

It included awarding contracts to friends and political allies for amounts far exceeding previous employees in similar positions, and millions in consulting contracts, mostly to his former employer, McKinsey & Company. New hires worked long distances from Gainesville, with additional travel expenses to bring them to UF occasionally.

Now we learn he will be paid an astonishing $1 million per year for four more years with health benefits for Sasse and his family.

It is sad that Sasse’s wife has serious medical issues that forced his resignation. But his record in the U.S. Senate shows he opposed the Affordable Care Act, which removed the ability of insurance companies to deny health care to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. He further supported cuts of Medicare benefits, which he called a “middle class entitlement,” and Medicaid reimbursements.

I thank the Independent Florida Alligator, which first brought our attention to this outrageous expenditure of public funds. UF is a public university. Someone had to approve this excessive use of public funds, and it must be investigated.

My two daughters graduated from UF. I do not want to see tuition or fees increase for current and future students to compensate for Sasse’s continuing expense entitlement.

Steven Pomerantz, Plantation

Where conspiracy theories lead

Cult leader Jim Jones led more than 1,000 people to drink Kool-Aid laced with cyanide in 1978. He led a cult, like Donald Trump, and I fear that if Trump told his “faithful” to do the same, they would.

Such is the strength of “leaders” like Trump. C’mon, people, wake up, and remember what blindly following a flawed person steeped in conspiracy theories like stolen elections can do.

Do you want your loved ones or friends to do the same and follow Trump off the cliff of reason? All you can do to prevent that is to vote for Kamala Harris. Democracy. Now. Always.

Barbra Nightingale, Hollywood

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