Shardae Bautista, 40, was arrested July 17, and booked into the Duval County jail on one count of organized fraud — engaging in a scheme to obtain property valued between $20,000 and $50,000.

Alleged scheme

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Bautista worked as a buyer for SAFT America Inc., a battery manufacturing company located on Waterworks St. in Jacksonville, from May 2023 to May 2024. Investigators say she used that access to create three fraudulent purchase orders, funneling the payments to her own business, KAS Solutions.

The alleged scheme unfolded over several months in early 2024. Investigators say the fraudulent transactions broke down as follows:

• Jan. 11, 2024 — $9,589.56
• Feb. 21, 2024 — $9,669.67
• May 9, 2024 — $6,391.17

The total amount submitted for payment through the company’s disbursement vendor, was $25,659.40. According to the report, KAS Solutions received $25,554.53 of that amount.

How it was discovered

According to Bautista’s arrest report, the investigation began Oct. 7, 2025, when JSO patrol officers responded to SAFT America’s offices after the company reported an embezzlement concern. A complainant told investigators that Bautista had been “padding” business expenses and routing additional funds to KAS Solutions.

A financial audit conducted by the company determined that between January and May 2024, Bautista had allegedly stolen $25,659.40. Investigators noted that all items purchased through the fraudulent orders were described as “non-inventory items,” which did not require oversight from her division — a detail that may have helped conceal the alleged scheme.

Investigation, warrant, extradition

After subpoenaing financial records from VyStar Credit Union, investigators say bank records confirmed Bautista’s account received the three payments in question.

An arrest warrant was issued April 2, 2026. Bautista was located in York County, South Carolina, where she waived extradition on July 4. She was transported from the York County Detention Center to Jacksonville, where she was booked July 17.

Bond was set at $25,003.

Bautista’s first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 6.

The closed-door briefing for committee members comes in the wake of two shootings in which ICE officers shot and killed two immigrants that they were trying to arrest, raising concerns over the agency's tactics at a time that it is ratcheting up its arrests.

The shootings in Maine and Houston over the span of a week have led to fierce criticism that there's not enough oversight of the agency key to President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. At least 10 people have died in encounters with immigration agents since Trump launched the crackdown after retaking office, and in the Maine shooting, family members of the ICE officer who opened fire say he had a history of violent behavior and never should have been given a badge and gun.

Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from Rhode Island, said they were told during the briefing that there have been 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers; 32 were cleared, and one was referred for disciplinary action. Magaziner said they were told no discipline had yet been handed out. The rest of the incidents are still under investigation, he said.

“It just defies belief that an agency of 20,000 plus officers with all of the chaos that we’ve seen over the last year and a half through the surges and civilians being injured and killed, that no one would be found to have violated use of force with the exception of possibly one person,” Magaziner said.

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment. Department leadership has promised to hold officers responsible found to have violated department policy. But they've also defended their officers, saying they are operating in a dangerous environment where they're constantly being attacked and doxxed.

The numbers mark an increase since February when then-acting director Todd Lyons said during Senate testimony that ICE had opened 37 investigations for excessive force; 18 of those were closed, 19 were still pending and one referred for “further action,” Lyons said.

The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, said the ICE officials could not discuss the shootings in Maine or Houston, as those are both open investigations. Thompson, who said he came away with more questions than answers from the briefing, said he wanted to know who investigates use of force incidents: “Sometimes they said the FBI, sometimes they said HSI. Sometimes they said another entity."

The officials said they were going to retrain officers who had gone through a shorter curriculum that was in place last fall, Thompson said. In June, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the agency would be increasing the amount of training for new officers starting this month.

Thompson said he pressed for answers about how many officers had been brought back for retraining and how they're being retrained but couldn't get any clarity.

Thompson said he and the committee chair, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., will follow up with ICE with a list of questions.

Garbarino said he appreciated ICE briefing the members.

“Today was an important opportunity for Members to receive timely answers on the status of body camera deployment for law enforcement in the field, training and vetting standards and requirements, and current guidance on the use of vehicle stops as part of immigration enforcement," Garbarino said in a statement.

When it comes to vehicle stops, Magaziner said they were told that current guidance to ICE officers is to only do them when there’s no other alternative, and they’re supposed to use lights and sirens. But, Magaziner said, that guidance has only been passed along verbally to the staff as opposed to a written directive.

Both the shootings in Maine and Houston involved shootings of immigrants who were in moving vehicles, raising questions about ICE’s training and policies surrounding how it tries to apprehend people when they’re driving.

After the Maine killing, Trump administration officials told ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops. But the next day, Trump announced on social media that he wanted ICE to keep doing them.

It also would provide for a pay raise next year ranging from 5% to 7% for service members, depending upon their rank.

The National Defense Authorization Act is generally one of the more bipartisan bills that Congress takes up on an annual basis. That's not the case this year. The vote was 216-212.

Democrats took issue with steep spending increases for the Pentagon as Republicans attempted to cut numerous non-defense programs through other bills. They also opposed some of the conservative social policy riders that were included.

For example, the bill includes a prohibition on gender-related medical care under the military health program known as TRICARE. It also eases hurdles for service members to carry a privately owned firearm on base, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's lead on the issue.

Republican leaders' decision to attach Trump's elections overhaul bill to the defense bill upon its passing also amplified the partisan divide. Speaker Mike Johnson is working to accommodate Republican lawmakers who are angry that the Senate won't pass the SAVE America Act and are insisting that it be included in must-pass bills until the Senate relents.

The House bill is testing a normally bipartisan process

Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized that he knows there were areas of disagreement, but he emphasized that Wednesday's vote was a step in a long process. He promised to work in a bipartisan manner on a final product that can pass both chambers and be signed into law.

Rogers said the United States needs to reverse decades of underinvestment and neglect in the nation's armed forces and defense industrial base.

“This bill will do that and much more,” he said. “It will build the ready, capable and lethal fighting force we need to deter China and other adversaries.”

Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democratic lawmaker on the Armed Services Committee, said the defense spending the administration has asked for this year is approaching $1.6 trillion when including separate efforts to pay for the war in Iran and boost weapons stockpiles.

“The American people are struggling to pay their bills and we're going to put $1.6 trillion into the defense budget. It's not a reasonable thing to ask,” Smith said.

Smith also expressed concern about the war with Iran and that in supporting the defense bill, lawmakers are “de facto supporting this war with no end in sight.”

“We are in an incredibly, incredibly dangerous time,” Smith said. “I want to maintain the bipartisan nature of this bill. I do. And I know that the chairman does. But if we're going to do this, we're going to need some Republicans to stand up to the president of the United States and say, ‘No. No, we’re not going to get you $1.6 trillion. No, we're not just going to give you a blank check for a war that is totally out of control."

The White House backs parts of the legislation

The spending increases authorized in the bill would not take effect until Congress follows up with a separate defense appropriations bill. The Senate has not yet approved its version of the defense measure. It's possible a final product won't be ready until after the midterm elections.

The White House applauded the spending levels authorized in the House bill and the Department of War designation that it says recognizes the “willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our nation.”

The president issued an executive order last year renaming the Defense Department, but it's up to Congress to make the change official. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the renaming could cost taxpayers as much as $125 million.

The White House's statement also said that the administration has a number of concerns with certain provisions in the bill and would work with Congress before a final bill is presented to the president. Among those concerns was a section of the bill it said would limit or undermine the president's ability to name military installations and property.

In 2023, during a national reckoning on issues of race in America, seven Army bases’ names were changed because they honored Confederate leaders. Last year, those bases reverted to their original names, but with different namesakes who share Confederate surnames. The Army found other service members with the same last names to honor.

“Think of that. The government is finally giving money back to our children,” Trump said to the crowd gathered at a Georgia high school

Some parents who opened accounts earlier this month for their babies say they're still waiting for their money. The accounts went live July 4, two days before Trump rang the opening bells for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq from the Oval Office.

The tax-advantaged accounts can be opened for any child under the age of 18, and more than 7 million accounts are already active, Trump said Wednesday. Babies born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028 get $1,000 in seed money from the U.S. Treasury. Most of those families receive their $1,000 in one or two days, the Treasury Department said.

After the Trump Accounts are set up, parents, relatives, friends and employers can contribute to them. Some billionaires have also pledged philanthropic contributions to the accounts. The money is turned over to private firms that invest it in index funds, a type of mutual fund that tracks the performance of the stock market. The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, and only then for specific purposes, such as going to school, opening a business or buying a home.

At the rally Wednesday, Rick Jackson, Georgia’s GOP nominee for governor, said he would push for state lawmakers to match the $1,000 in seed money from the federal government. Jackson, a wealthy businessman and CEO of a healthcare company, said he believes Georgia lawmakers will support that, but “if they don’t, I will personally donate it myself.”

Boosters of the program say it’s a chance to give more Americans a stake in the stock market. They hope it will stem the rising popularity of democratic socialists, who seek to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy people to ease the cost of things like food and healthcare for low-income and middle-class Americans.

Some parents were told it could take 4 weeks for the deposit

For babies born since Trump took office last year, $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury is supposed to kick off the accounts. While some parents report receiving the money, others said in interviews and on social media they're still waiting for their $1,000.

Masaki and Kristina McLellan, new parents from Bergen County, New Jersey, said in an interview they were wary of signing up for the accounts because they worried it was a promotional stunt for the president. But the $1,000 incentive persuaded the couple, whose daughter Maya was born in late March, to start an account anyway.

Masaki McLellan said he applied for the account July 6. At first, the application was rejected, but the account was activated after he called the Trump Account hotline. He was told he'd see the money in the account in 10 days. Now, he says, he's been told it will take up to four weeks.

Kristina McLellan said she was disappointed it was taking so long to fund her daughter's account. But the infant has multiple other investments already compounding for her. Maya's parents have already started a 529 college savings plan and a custodial brokerage account for her. The Trump Account is the third investment account in the little girl's name.

“We definitely want to give her options for her future and make sure she can choose what she wants to do,” said McLellan, a studio director for a local news station, who returns from maternity leave next week.

The Treasury Department emphasized the McLellans’ case is unusual and said only a sliver of those who apply need customer support.

Treasury says most parents wait only 1 or 2 days

The Treasury Department said that the lag between opening an account and receiving the seed funding constitutes “standard processing time, like receiving a tax refund,” and that the overwhelming majority of parents are waiting only one to two days. But the department likes to give parents a conservative estimate for how long it might take for the money to be transferred, such as the estimate of up to four weeks given to the McLellans.

“Trump Accounts level the playing field by allowing every parent to invest in their children’s future, not just wealthy families with trust funds,” the department said.

The government also unveiled an initiative last month that permits child welfare agencies to open accounts on behalf of foster youth.

"With roughly 1 million sign-ups per month before launch, Trump Accounts have become the most popular and successful government-backed savings product in U.S. history,” the Treasury Department said.

On Wednesday, Trump called the accounts “the most consequential” part of his signature tax and spending cuts bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Trump faces pressure over his handling of the economy

Trump's stop in Georgia comes as he and fellow Republicans face pressure in the midterm elections for their handling of the economy. Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s economic leadership, among the lower ratings of his second term, according to a June survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Trump pledged to lower costs, but his tariffs and the war in Iran have instead helped to increase prices.

Trump Accounts are similar to baby bonds, championed by Democratic-led cities and states meant to shrink the wealth gap between low- and high-income children. But unlike most baby bonds, which generally target kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, Trump Accounts are available to families of all incomes.

The program has faced criticism from those who say it does nothing to help families in a child's first years of life, when children are most likely to experience poverty, homelessness and hunger. And the Republican bill that created the program also slashed funding for programs that are disproportionately used by children, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

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This story has been corrected to show the mother's surname is McLellan, not McClellan.

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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Adriana Morga contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

It might look like something from a sci-fi movie, but drones are helping police the city, showing up at scenes before patrol officers to help track down suspects, find missing people and pinpoint evidence.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office drones are capable of reaching a call and arriving on location within 40 to 60 seconds, well ahead of any responding officer. JSO said it has had two of these drones in operation for the last month.

Sheriff T.K. Waters says the technology is not meant to replace the officers on the force.

“This doesn’t replace officers. It gives them better information to make more informed decisions. Another tool in our big toolbox. And I’m just very excited about it,” Waters said.

What the drones offer is critical information that can help officers as they respond to evolving and sometimes dangerous situations.

The idea behind first-responder drones is that they can stream live footage back to officers, who can quickly assess whether a suspect has fled, whether anyone needs medical attention, and how best to approach the situation before arriving.

What did it cost?

The pilot program has been active for one month and has already responded to more than 200 calls.

JSO also has plans to expand its “Eagle Eye” drone program. JSO already has about 30 of these drones and plans to add double that, thanks to approximately $610,000 in state funding. Unlike the first responder drones, these drones are usually deployed by officers already at scenes. The first responder drones are operated by someone posted at JSO headquarters.

According to a report from Florida Politics, the funding was prioritized in the 2026 session by Sen. Clay Yarborough and House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan.

The funding request filed by Yarborough explained that the drones are deployed from patrol vehicles. It included $87,000 for a fixed-wing mapping drone, and $523,000 for 10 external drones, 25 interior drones, batteries and drone maintenance.

“Internal drones will be deployed in enclosed spaces to assess the safety of a structure while external drones can be used in open-air settings for missing persons and post-disaster,” the funding request said.

The fixed-wing drone is specifically for helping in missing persons cases, according to the funding request.

Addressing privacy concerns

With any drone program, questions about privacy are inevitable. When asked to address those concerns directly, Waters was candid.

“People fly drones all over the place where they shouldn’t fly them. It’s not even the police. We’re not gonna use them for that purpose. And if I find out, if we find out they’re being used wrong, nefariously, then we’re gonna deal with the individuals that are doing it. We have policies in place to make sure that the rules and the laws are followed,” Waters said.

JSO says officer and community safety, as well as reducing criminal activity, are the top priorities of the program. Waters also assured the public that safeguards are in place to protect residents’ privacy.

U.S. Central Command once again said the strikes are designed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the U.S. pushes to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping.

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

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that the U.S. will destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s latest threat to target civilian infrastructure came as the unpopular war spirals with no clear off-ramp, threatening further worldwide economic disruption and sending fuel prices up ahead of midterm U.S. elections this fall. Both sides have dug in on their dispute over the strait, a crucial waterway for global energy that remains largely closed because of Iranian attacks.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said his country would adopt an “eye for an eye” defense doctrine.

“Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response,” he posted Wednesday on X.

The U.S. carried out another wave of strikes on Iran overnight into Wednesday, and air defenses opened fire over the capital, Tehran. Iran launched a missile attack on a Jordanian city on Israel’s doorstep, and alerts were issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

With negotiations largely stalled, both sides have sought leverage by targeting civilian infrastructure. Iran has responded to U.S. attacks by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants that provide drinking water in parched neighboring Gulf countries.

International law generally prohibits such attacks unless the infrastructure is being used for military purposes. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decried such attacks as “unacceptable” on Tuesday.

The costs of war are mounting

The closure of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passed during peacetime, has jolted the world economy with effects far beyond the Middle East. A new threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea puts another trade chokepoint at risk.

“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT,” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday for the arrival of the remains of four U.S. service members. A day earlier, his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, estimated in a fiery Senate hearing that the U.S. had spent $37.5 billion on the war so far.

Benchmark Brent crude oil rose to more than $93 a barrel in trading. That's up from less than $72 early this month, which is roughly where it was before the war. Gasoline prices are also climbing.

Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the strait, which was open to all and toll-free before the war. It has attacked ships using a route through the strait that is overseen by U.S. forces and intended to be outside Tehran's control.

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has led negotiations with the U.S., appeared to brush off Trump's threats.

“If our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe, and the security of the strait is in the absence of American forces,” he wrote on social media. “We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to prewar conditions.”

Attacks shake Iran and Jordan

Jordan’s military said it intercepted four Iranian missiles over Aqaba, while two others fell in “uninhabited areas.” Plumes of smoke could be seen overhead in videos filmed by people in the nearby Israeli city of Eilat. Jordan said it also intercepted four Iranian drones.

Iran has avoided striking Israel since hostilities resumed last month, apparently hoping to keep it from reentering the war. But the attack on Aqaba, within sight of Israel’s Eilat, raised concerns over a further widening of the conflict after an agreement to halt hostilities collapsed.

Another missile alert sounded in Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia warned residents of the Persian Gulf city of Dammam to seek shelter. Saudi authorities later said the danger had passed, without elaborating.

The U.S. military said earlier Wednesday that it had completed an 11th night of strikes on Iran, with targets including aircraft hangars and drone storage sites.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions across several provinces. Iran's Health Ministry says U.S. strikes over the past 11 days have killed 53 people, including six women and three children, and wounded nearly 600 people.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard insisted its retaliatory attacks would continue.

Diplomatic efforts show no signs of progress

Before the latest strikes, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, seeking to revive diplomacy. But it was unclear what new arrangement might be reached to end the war, which lately has become a battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Zeinivand said “diplomacy isn’t called off” and that messages were still being exchanged, without elaborating, according to IRNA.

An Arab diplomat said Gulf states are increasingly pessimistic about finding an off-ramp for escalating hostilities and are particularly concerned about the latest round of threats in which the two sides have warned they may attack civilian infrastructure.

The diplomat said countries in the region, in addition to Pakistan and Turkey, are continuing to push for de-escalation. But, he said the chances for any improvement currently appear bleak. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

At a regional summit in the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced Iran’s actions in the strait.

“If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region,” he said.

Rubio said the U.S. remains open to negotiations with Iran, “but right now they don’t seem to be serious about that” so instead the focus is on protecting shipping.

In response to Iran’s attacks, the U.S. re-imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump signals US may attack underground nuclear site

Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump gave a dim view on possible talks, saying the U.S. had “no interest in meeting.”

He signaled that U.S. forces could soon target an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep under a mountain.

The site, known as Pickaxe Mountain, lies on the south side of Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site, which was bombed by the U.S. during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in 2025. But Pickaxe Mountain has remained untouched as Iran continues to dig at the site.

Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, while resuming the enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels since Trump scrapped a 2015 nuclear deal during his first term. The U.S. and others believe Iran had a nuclear weapons program until 2003 and may reconstitute it in the future.

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Binkley reported from Washington. Contributing were Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Michelle L. Price and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles.

Demolition began on the home last night, so it could not be accessed anymore. Officials said demolition will continue over the coming days to completely tear it down.

The News4JAX I-Team first reported on the home on Jefferson Road last week, highlighting safety concerns raised by neighbors. Following that report, the property owners say they are moving forward with demolition.

Since Jan. 1, 2023, the home has generated 47 calls for service. Those calls include range from suspicious persons, well-being checks, trespassing, squatting, illegal camping, vandalism, an abduction in progress and assault involving injuries.

When News4Jax reached out to the city of Jacksonville for a code violation history on the property, the city responded with more than 140 pages of records. At the top of those records: a warning that the house is in danger of collapsing. The documents also detail electrical problems, plumbing problems and four active cases with municipal code compliance.

Monday, a fire broke out in the backyard of the home. That fire remains under investigation.

For many residents living nearby, the fire was the last straw.

Liz Carroll, a neighbor who lives across the street, didn’t mince words when describing what she believed was happening at the house.

“Who knows what they’re doing over there. You know, cracktivities is what I call it,” Carroll said.

Paula Laird, a landlord who owns a property across the street, echoed those concerns.

“This is really scary and it needs to be resolved. I just think they need to be aware of exactly what’s going on,” Laird said.

Even after the home was condemned, some neighbors say they saw the people who lived there, return.

“Two of them,” said Alan Schiessel.

The property owners told News4Jax on the phone they did not realize how bad conditions at the home had become. After hearing what neighbors had been saying, they worked with the city to get the property condemned. An orange condemned sign now hangs on the front door dated for Monday.

An anonymous homeowner who spoke with News4Jax by phone expressed his thoughts on neighbors being relieved about the home being condemned.

“Yeah, they should be. I never dreamed that was going on over there. It was a terrible shocker to see all of that,” the owner of the home said.

For Carroll, the condemned sign was only a partial comfort.

“The orange sign a little bit. You know, I won’t have comfort until it’s demolished,” she said.

The homeowners say the house could come down within a matter of days.

One of the owners of the home told News4Jax, “We want the neighborhood to know that we do care,” they said, “The city is being gracious and let us make it right.”

News4JAX has also submitted a request to the fire marshal’s office to determine the exact cause of Monday’s backyard fire.

On Wednesday, the Red Sox matched that streak from 80 years ago, beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 in the opener of a doubleheader.

“I’ve read some stuff. I know Ted Williams was around back then, so I’m aware of the year and how long it's been,” interim manager Chad Tracy said. “It’s cool that they’ve accomplished something great.”

When it was over, the Red Sox took a little more time than usual on the field to soak it in as The Standells' song “Dirty Water” played in the background like it does after each victory in Fenway Park.

They also enjoyed the moment in the clubhouse.

“Oh, yeah, absolutely between the staff. We were realizing the guys were going crazy in the locker room — they always do — but even more emphasis right now with what we’re going through,” Tracy said. “Everybody enjoys it for sure.”

Boston club fired manager Alex Cora after a 10-17 start and seemed to be in for a long season under Tracy. The Red Sox were 37-48 and last in the AL East on July 1.

They haven't lost since.

Tracy is the first manager since the 19th century to lead a team to a win streak of 15 games or more who didn't start the season in the job, according to MLB.

Boston took a 4-0 lead over Baltimore in the first inning, and starter Jake Bennett held the Orioles to three runs over 5 2/3 innings.

With a 6-3 lead after six innings, Caleb Durbin, who hit a tiebreaking homer in Monday's win over Baltimore, started thinking about how many outs were left.

“I think in the seventh inning I’m counting them down a little bit,” he said, smiling.

After the final out, left fielder Jarren Duran said he was able to appreciate the cheering crowd when he met with center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela and right fielder Wilyer Abreu.

“When I get to go see (them), I take a look around and I get to enjoy that moment, that’s always fun,” he said.

With the organization in its 126th season, the streak has more meaning for some.

“You look back at it and think about where you’re doing it and how long this franchise has existed. It’s been incredible,” Durbin said. “It feels great. One win closer to 16 to break it. I’m just glad we’ve got another one to play today.”

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz, who grew up watching the Red Sox about 45 miles away in Fall River, Massachusetts, showed his respect.

“I mean, a 15-game heater is really impressive,” he said. “You know, its tough to win one game in the big leagues and them going 15 straight, it’s really impressive.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Trump paid respects to four U.S. service members who were killed in the Middle East and returned to their families at an Air Force base in Delaware. It was the third dignified transfer that Trump has attended since he launched the war in Iran in February.

Earlier in the day, Trump warned Iran that the U.S. will destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The warning came after the U.S. carried out another wave of strikes on Iran, where air defenses opened fire over the capital, Tehran.

Here's the latest:

US carries out 12th night of strikes on Iran

The U.S. military has announced another night of strikes as both sides are increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure.

The U.S. Central Command once again said the strikes are designed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the U.S. pushes to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping.

Trump administration says it will submit Saudi Arabia nuclear deal to Congress

Saudi Arabia could obtain uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program under a new cooperation agreement with the administration.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman signed it Wednesday along with a related agreement intended to offer nuclear safeguards.

U.S. officials said the deals lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership that advances key economic and strategic objectives including nuclear nonproliferation.

The 123 agreement provides access for U.S. companies in the Saudi nuclear energy program, benefiting American industry and workers, while helping to meet Saudi energy needs, the Energy Department said.

The agreement will now be transmitted to Congress for review.

House Republicans adopt $95 billion package for the Iran war and Trump’s priorities

Lawmakers adopted the proposal, a long-shot effort to fund the Iran war and other White House priorities over objections from Democrats and a few GOP holdouts in a final push before the midterm elections.

Republicans were divided, with conservatives wary because there are no offsetting budget cuts. But Speaker Mike Johnson plunged ahead, viewing the go-it-alone process as the best chance to usher Trump’s priorities through a split Congress despite skepticism in the Senate.

The tally was 216-214, with all Democrats opposed.

“Just bullets and bombs to finish the job,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, chairman of the Budget Committee.

Democrats argued that the money should be spent at home.

“Republicans plan to spend tens of billions of dollars on Trump’s failed war in Iran,” Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, said this week. “Think about what we could spend with these resources instead.”

▶ Read more

Jackson promises state match for Trump Accounts seed money

Rick Jackson, the state’s GOP nominee for governor, said Wednesday that he will push for Georgia legislators to approve a state match for the $1,000 in seed money that the federal government is giving to some holders of Trump Accounts.

Babies born from 2025 to 2028 currently receive $1,000 from the federal government in their accounts.

Jackson, a wealthy businessperson and CEO of a healthcare company, said he believes Georgia lawmakers will support that, but “if they don’t, I will personally donate it myself.”

“It changed my life when I got a $100 Christmas gift in an orphanage,” he said.

Trump accuses Georgia senator and other Democrats of being communists

“The United States of America will never be a communist country,” Trump said, drawing big applause and a chant of “USA, USA.”

“The blue states are all going bad” because communism is a loser, he said. “It’s a loser and it always has been and it always will be.”

The crowd booed enthusiastically when Trump mentioned “your terrible Sen. Jon Ossoff”

“Jon Ossoff and the Democrat communists want to let the Marxists into power, bankrupt your families and leave you totally undefended with wide-open borders,” Trump said.

Trump jokes about running for a third term, again

The president opened his Georgia rally with a joke about running for a third term.

“Well, thank you very much, everybody. It’s a special place, and I am here to announce my candidacy,” the president said at the start of his speech, pausing as the crowd cheered.

After a few seconds, he held up his hand and waved it in front of him slightly. “I’m only kidding,” Trump added.

The president is constitutionally barred from running again in 2028, but has repeatedly suggested he might somehow do so anyway. Sometimes Trump suggests he’s joking, but he’s also said he might lead a constitutional movement to rewrite the Constitution in his favor.

Trump finally gets to Trump Accounts

After a nearly half-hour riff on unrelated topics, the president began talking about the subject of Wednesday’s event in Georgia.

“It’s hot as a pistol,” Trump said of Trump Accounts.

He then gave a brief description of how the accounts work, including the $1,000 in seed money that the government awards babies born from 2025 to 2028.

After that initial investment, the value of the account “goes up, and up, and up,” Trump said.

Trump wants credit on lower inflation in June due to lower oil prices that have since climbed

The U.S. president is tweaking his pitch to voters on inflation — wanting credit for the monthly dip in the consumer price index that was caused by energy prices falling due to a ceasefire in the Iran war.

But the ceasefire has failed to endure and oil prices have since jumped, with average gasoline prices at $4.06 a gallon. That’s up 4.3% over the past week and prices at the pump have jumped nearly 29% from a year ago, according to AAA.

Speaking in Georgia, Trump claimed the monthly drop had more to do with his management of the U.S. economy. That claim carries a political risk if the rising energy prices cause inflation to rise this month.

“It was announced just last week that inflation dropped by the largest amount in more than six years,” Trump said. “Because we’re doing it right. We’re running the country properly.”

Trump says his White House ballroom is actually a ‘military facility’

He told the rally crowd in Georgia, “We’re building a tremendous military facility at the White House. It’s a ballroom, but it’s also a big military facility.”

The president said it would feature a “drone port on top and tremendous things underneath.”

Trump originally said the project, which is expected to cost at least $400 million, would be paid for by himself and wealthy donors. But Trump now says the ballroom is supposed to include White House security upgrades like the drone port.

However, $1 billion in federal funding proposed for White House security upgrades has stalled in Congress.

The president also said crews building the ballroom are working from around 6 a.m. until late in the night, sometimes 11 p.m., and working Sundays.

Trump says dignified transfers are ‘the toughest thing I do’

The president said his visit to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday for the dignified transfer of four service members was particularly difficult.

“It’s very tough to watch, to be honest with you,” Trump said. “I think it’s the toughest thing I do.”

Trump said he invited the family of 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan to join him on Air Force One on his trip to Georgia, where the family lives.

“We will carry Tyler’s memory in our hearts forever,” Trump said, describing him as a “flawless” person.

Trump shouts out Republican candidate for Georgia governor, Rick Jackson

“Gonna be your next governor, right here,” Trump said, gesturing toward Jackson, who was right next to the stage.

Trump had endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican primary, but was quick to praise Jackson after he won a fiercely fought Republican primary.

Trump congratulated Jackson on social media the day after the primary runoff in June, saying he “very successfully campaigned on being ‘TRUMP,’ and won.”

Trump is about to give remarks in Marietta, Georgia

Leading up to Trump’s arrival, the crowd gathered in a suburban Atlanta high school gym heard from several candidates for statewide office.

They also heard from U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, a former Georgia state senator; U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon; Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, a former U.S. senator from Georgia; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Friend says soldier killed in the Middle East ‘always made people feel seen’

A friend of Angel Rampersad says the 28-year-old Army sergeant genuinely cared about people and made them feel important and seen.

Deonne Jinkins and Rampersad met in 2024 in Germany, where they served together and became good friends.

On Wednesday, the 22-year-old Jinkins recalled how Rampersad jumped in and set up a weekend celebration for Jinkins’ birthday within weeks of their first meeting.

“The fact that we had barely known each other, yet she showed up for me in such a big way, spoke volumes about the kind of person she was,” Jinkins said over Facebook Messenger. “I’ll never forget what she did for me that weekend.”

Jinkins said her friend “loved deeply, cared genuinely, and always made people feel seen and important.”

Rampersad’s family said in a brief statement she was a “gentle giant” who “stood up for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.”

“She loved her family fiercely and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched,” the statement said.

Trump pays respects to four service members killed in Middle East

The president saluted as four cases draped with American flags were escorted off an airplane during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

He was joined by administration officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Trump was scheduled to meet privately with grieving family members.

The White House said one of the families will be joining on Air Force One later on Wednesday when Trump flies to an event in Georgia, where the family lives.

Senate committee moves nomination forward for FEMA administrator

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted 8-4 Wednesday morning to advance Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton.

Hamilton is a former Navy SEAL who briefly led FEMA in a temporary role last year before being fired after defending the agency’s existence. His potential return marks a shift in the Trump administration’s stance toward the disaster agency, after Trump said early in his second term that he was considering eliminating it altogether.

If approved by the Senate, Hamilton would be the first permanent FEMA administrator in Trump’s second term. The agency has seen four temporary leaders and been roiled by upheaval, including the departure of thousands of staff.

Journalists urge correspondents’ association to stand up to Trump at rescheduled press dinner

Hundreds of former or retired journalists and eight press freedom groups are asking the White House Correspondents’ Association to stand up to the Trump administration’s recent attacks on the media at its rescheduled dinner this week — a dinner President Donald Trump says he’ll attend.

The first dinner was cut short in April when a gunman, who prosecutors say was trying to assassinate Trump, opened fire at the Washington Hilton. The much smaller rescheduled dinner will take place Friday, with enhanced security precautions, at the capital’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, formerly the Trump International Hotel.

The letter expands on a similar one issued in April, before the first dinner. It notes that since then, “the administration’s attacks on journalists and press freedom have become even more egregious.”

▶ Read more

Iran war energy shock hits Southeast Asia hard

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised her country’s concern over renewed attacks by the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East, warning that “the situation could deteriorate further without much warning.”

“We want to see an end to this war. We want to see a ceasefire. We want to see negotiations and we want the strait to be opened,” Wong told reporters at the ASEAN summit. The war’s impact on global energy markets has had a direct and personal impact on people, she said.

Southeast Asia’s reliance on fossil fuel imports from the Mideast has made the region particularly vulnerable, according to the International Energy Agency. Asian markets imported about 80% of the crude oil and almost 90% of the liquefied natural gas, or LNG, transiting through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, the IEA said.

Rubio says US willing to be ‘patient’ with pace of change in Cuba

Asked whether the Trump administration’s goal is regime change in Cuba, Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is prepared to be “very realistic” and “patient” about a process of ensuring that the Cuban people “can experience prosperity, safety, security and a better life moving forward.”

Rubio insisted the country’s socialist economic model doesn’t work and that the Cuban government is most interested in holding on to power, not making reforms.

But he said that “we’ll keep talking to them about the kind of changes they can make” because it affects U.S. national security.

“It’s a failed state. But I’ve never laid out any timeline as to what change would look like or when it would happen,” Rubio said.

A plane was carrying food and hygiene kits to Cuba on Tuesday, part of U.S. efforts to directly aid residents.

Oil prices rise another 3%

A barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at $93.83 at midday Wednesday after briefly topping $95 to touch its highest price in six weeks as the war with Iran continues.

Rising oil prices threaten to reaccelerate inflation, which could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.65%, helping to bring long-term U.S. mortgage rates to their highest levels in nearly a year. The yield was 3.97% before the war.

The auto club AAA said Wednesday that the average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. jumped again overnight to $4.06. It had been below $3 before the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

The soldiers whose remains are being returned to their families

The four U.S. service members were identified by the Defense Department:

1. 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii

2. Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas

3. Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York

4. Army Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Spring Lake, North Carolina

Since the war began on Feb. 28, 18 U.S. service members have been killed.

Trump to tell families of service members fallen in the Middle East, ‘we love your child’

Trump is at Dover Air Force Base, participating in the return of the remains of four U.S. service members killed in the Middle East.

Asked for his message to their families before he departed Joint Base Andrews, Trump said, “All I’m going to say is, ‘we love you. We love your child.’”

“All you can do is throw out your heart,” he said.

Canada cancels joint US bridge-opening event after another Trump tariff threat

The Friday ceremony celebrating the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is no longer expected to take place after Trump announced a pending 50% tariff on most Canadian goods.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed,” emailed Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson.

U.S. and Canadian officials had reached an agreement to open the $4.4 billion bridge, which Canada financed under an agreement allowing it to recover the cost through toll revenue. Canada now plans its own ceremony Friday.

Two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations said they still expect the bridge to open to traffic July 27 but are less certain than they were before.

— Joey Cappelletti

Rubio says any nuclear agreement the US signs will not lead to nuclear proliferation

Rubio was asked about the risk of the U.S. signing an agreement with a Middle Eastern country that does not include the “gold standard” promise to refrain from enriching or reprocessing uranium.

Rubio said he would not “opine directly on that agreement” with Saudi Arabia, but then said “the U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.”

Rubio is pressed on Trump’s reported nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

When asked by reporters on Wednesday in the Philippines about the nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, the secretary of state didn’t deny the approval was coming and instead said, “I’ll let the White House officials sort of put out an official statement about anything in regards to that.”

Stumbling a bit in his response, Rubio also said: “I’d prefer it be, you know, put out when there is something to say that we will say through official channels.”

Rubio points to Iran’s remaining capabilities even though ‘diminished’

Rubio said Iran’s missiles and drones being used in strikes now are “exactly the conventional shield that they were going to hide behind to pursue a nuclear program.”

He said that capacity is “greatly diminished” but that a year from now, Iran would have had so many missiles and drones serving as a shield that it “would have given them immunity to do whatever they wanted.”

He kept some hope alive for renewed talks, saying the U.S. remains open to negotiations, “but right now they don’t seem to be serious about that” so instead the focus is on protecting shipping.

“We think other countries should join us in that endeavor. We don’t need them to, but they should because they’re more impacted by it than we are.”

Rubio is asked whether China and Russia are helping Iran find targets

Rubio, who doubles as Trump’s national security adviser, was asked Wednesday whether China and Russia are giving targeting information to Iran.

“All I would say is that, you know, anytime you’re in a combat zone like that, there’s danger associated with it,” Rubio said. “At the end, this actually proves the point that this is what Iran has been investing its money in.”

When pressed again by a reporter, Rubio said, “I’m not going to discuss that, other than to say that nothing that’s happened, nothing that China has done has in any way changed the trajectory of the outcome, of what you’re seeing in terms of the conflict that we’re having with Iran.”

Rubio said China has been quite cooperative in some ways, such as publicly opposing what Iran is trying to do in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio says Iran controlling Strait of Hormuz would set dangerous precedent

Marco Rubio warned Asian leaders Wednesday that Iran’s demand to control and collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz would threaten the world’s economy.

“If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region,” the U.S. Secretary of State said.

Rubio’s counterparts at the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have expressed alarm over the resurgent Iran war that has battered their economies. Despite Washington’s preoccupation with the war, Rubio said “we’re with ASEAN 100%.”

The Tigers finished 5-5 last season, fifth in the SIAC. Benedict, Tuskegee, Albany State and Kentucky State rounded out the top five of the conference’s 13 teams in the preseason balloting.

Head coach Brian Jenkins Jr. is entering his second season as the leader of the Tigers. He was named the interim coach in July 2024 after Toriano Morgan resigned. Jenkins had the interim label removed before the start of the 2025 season, then proceeded to lead EWU to a 3-0 start, its best since 1964.

There’s reason for optimism.

Running back Johntarrious Thomas, linebacker Trevon French and defensive back Aykenon Rodgers garnered preseason first-team SIAC honors. Both Thomas and French were preseason offensive and defensive player of the year selections, respectively.

Thomas rushed for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games last season, averaging a whopping 7 yards per carry. French ranked sixth in the SIAC in average tackles per game (7) and finished with 74 in 10 games.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington raised the question Wednesday in an ongoing lawsuit against President Donald Trump's ban on transgender troops. Reyes noted that Trump's ban says “the Armed Forces must adhere to high mental and physical health standards ... without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.”

Reyes ordered both parties in the lawsuit to address “the similarities and differences in administering TRT, both medically and logistically, for trans men compared to other service members, including cis individuals.” She was using the acronym for testosterone replacement therapy.

The judge also requested information on the Pentagon's “basis for treating trans men and other service members differently between this new policy and the Military Ban.”

Reyes' order comes a week after Hegseth announced that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.”

The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary.

Other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate for men to have easier access to testosterone replacement therapies, but the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader, and less substantiated, claims.

Testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age and have long been linked to issues like erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain. But experts have debated for years how to diagnose those problems and whether they should be treated by replacing the hormone.

Reyes, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, is overseeing one of the lawsuits against Trump's ban on transgender troops. Transgender active duty service members and former service members seeking to reenlist sued in late January 2025, shortly after the president returned for his second term in office.

Reyes ruled last year against Trump's executive order to exclude transgender troops. A divided panel of federal appeals court judges sent the case back to Reyes after partially upholding her order, finding that the ban was unlawful and service members who sued could not be kicked out.

Reyes has since given the case class-action status, which means the outcome could expand to all service members.

Trump's transgender military ban remains in effect, however. The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the Pentagon to enforce it as litigation plays out.

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Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst and Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.

Seattle will be represented by Lauren Jackson and Flau’jae Johnson. Washington will have Elena Delle Donne partnered with Shakira Austin. Dallas, which started out as a franchise in Detroit, will pair Jessica Shepard with Deanna Nolan. Minnesota will have Rebekkah Brunson playing with Courtney Williams.

Each team will also include a standout high school player from Nike EYBL, bringing together three generations of women’s basketball in one competition.

The Nike EYBL participants are Jezelle “GG” Banks, Ryan Carter, Tatianna Griffin and Morghan Reckley. Honorary general managers for the WNBA All-Star Game, Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, will serve as designated passers, with Cooper distributing the ball to two teams and Weatherspoon passing it to the other two teams.

The format is a two-round, timed shooting competition in which teams have 70 seconds to score as many points as possible from seven shooting locations around the court. The competition features shots ranging from a layup to a 3-pointer, with the two teams posting the highest scores in the opening round advancing to the championship round.

The shooting stars winners will get $15,000. Each competitor will receive $7,500.

Last year the winners of the skills contest each received $2,575 from the WNBA.

The league announced the participants of the 3-point contest on Tuesday.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

It is a second trial for Hadi Matar, who was found guilty in a New York state attempted murder case last year. The federal terror charges focus more on Matar's alleged motive for the attack on the renowned author and free-speech advocate in 2022.

Prosecutors started working Wednesday to persuade jurors that Matar was trying to carry out a 1989 fatwa, or religious ruling, that called for Rushdie's death because of what some Muslims saw as blasphemy in his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses.”

“Fulfill the fatwa — that’s what Hadi Matar intended to do,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Lynch said in an opening statement at a federal courthouse in Buffalo, New York, about 70 miles (110 km) from the arts and intellectual retreat where Rushdie was assaulted. The Booker Prize-winning author is expected to testify later this week about the stabbing that nearly killed him and left him blind in one eye.

Defense attorney Nathaniel Barone urged jurors to keep their minds open.

“You’re going to have to ask yourselves: What was Hadi Matar’s intent?” Barone said in his opening.

Speaking to The Associated Press outside of court, Barone said the biggest challenge facing prosecutors is determining Matar's state of mind at the time of the attack.

""Certainly, they can't do that demonstrably. There's no facts. There's no hard evidence," Barone said. “They’ll have to draw together different events, different circumstances, and then ask that jury to connect the dots. And that’s difficult to do because there could be a number of reasonable, plausible explanations as to what he was thinking.”

Prosecutors contend that Matar's writings, communications and other materials showed he acted out of loyalty to Iran’s theocratic government and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group; Iran's late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued the fatwa.

A stunned audience saw Rushdie's stabbing

Matar, 28, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that include engaging in an act of transnational terrorism. Currently serving a 25-year New York State prison sentence, he faces a potential life sentence if convicted in the federal case.

The attack — which jurors saw on video Wednesday — unfolded in front of a horrified audience at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie was about to discuss writer safety.

His assailant, wearing a medical mask, strode onstage and stabbed Rushdie repeatedly, continuing even as the writer got up and fell backward. Spectators rushed to pull the attacker off Rushdie and assisted the lone state trooper on site in holding the assailant face-down before he could be handcuffed.

Zachary Colvin's body-camera video was also played and showed Matar informing the trooper he had no weapons in his pockets, admitting he had a fake New Jersey driver's license, and telling him his real name was Hadi.

Asked by the defense whether Matar was cooperative as he was being detained, Colvin said: “Initially he did attempt to knee me, but he was cooperative beyond that.”

As one of the videos played, Matar, 28, placed his head down on the defense table several times before looking back up at the screen. Otherwise, he spent much of the time writing notes on a yellow pad and exchanged comments with his lawyers — and waved at Colvin when asked to point him out in court.

Rushdie, now 79, has recounted the assault and his lengthy recovery during Matar's earlier trial, in a memoir and in multiple interviews.

“The thing that happens when you get really a close-up look at death — that’s as close as you can get without actually doing the dance of death and heading off to nowhere — it stays with you,” he told The Associated Press in 2024. “There’s a shadow.”

Federal terrorism trial hinges on Matar's motivation

Born in the U.S. to parents who immigrated from Lebanon, Matar is a citizen of both countries. His mother has said he turned moody and withdrawn after a 2018 trip to Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based.

Prosecutors say his attack on Rushdie was propelled partly by remarks that the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah made in 2006, amid an uproar in the Muslim world over caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in European newspapers. Nasrallah opined that “the problem began the day Salman Rushdie wrote 'The Satanic Verses' ” and that the furor over the cartoon wouldn't have happened if someone had followed through on Khomeini’s fatwa.

Matar started researching Rushdie in 2020, asking online contacts where the writer lived and eventually looking into where his office was, what sports teams he followed and where he watched games, Lynch said in his opening statement. He said Matar kept sticky notes and a notebook about his project.

“We need to kill him ASAP,” Matar wrote, according to the prosecutor. He said Matar framed the killing as part of what he considered a jihad, or holy war, and added: “Become a warrior and just get it over with.”

In Matar’s New Jersey bedroom, federal agents found photos of Khomeini, his now-deceased successor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a Hezbollah figure, Lynch said. Matar's computer held a photo of him saluting in a Hezbollah-related T-shirt, plus a video about Khomeini’s fatwa, and Matar asked a contact in 2022 whether the edict was still valid, the prosecutor said.

And the fake ID Matar carried echoed a Hezbollah figure's name, prosecutors said.

“The defendant wanted everyone to know he was doing this for Hezbollah," Lynch told jurors.

Matar declined to testify at his state court trial, and it is unclear whether he will take the stand in federal court. At his state court sentencing, Matar said he believed in free speech but blasted Rushdie as “a hypocrite” and a “bully.”

How Ayatollah's edict affected Rushdie

Rushdie was born in India, raised in Britain — where he was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II — and now is a U.S. citizen. He won the Booker Prize in 1981 for his novel “Midnight’s Children” and became most famous, and notorious, for “The Satanic Verses.” A dream sequence about the Prophet Muhammad sparked often-violent protests erupted against Rushdie, who was born into a Muslim family.

Khomeini's 1989 fatwa drove Rushdie into hiding for years. Although the edict was rescinded, Iran hasn’t focused on it in recent years. Iran's government denied involvement in the 2022 stabbing, but its Foreign Ministry's then-spokesperson suggested Rushdie invited trouble by insulting Islam.

Hezbollah's Nasrallah did not comment on the attack.

After “Knife,” Rushdie's memoir about the stabbing, he returned to fiction with last year's “The Eleventh Hour,” a book of short stories and novellas. He received a Dayton Literary Peace Prize lifetime achievement award in November.

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Peltz reported from New York. Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed from Beirut.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman formally signed the nuclear cooperation agreement, known as a “123 agreement,” alongside what the Trump administration described as a “bilateral safeguards agreement.”

The U.S. administration released scant details of the deal, but the framework paves the way for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“These agreements reflect our two nations’ shared commitment to strengthening U.S.-Saudi commercial relations, delivering prosperity at home and security to our allies abroad,” Wright said in a statement. “Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States.”

Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to head off emerging criticism of the decision under questioning by reporters about the risk that helping the Saudis fulfill their long-standing desire to enrich their own uranium could lead to new rounds of nuclear proliferation and competition in a volatile region.

“The U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation,” said Rubio, who was traveling in the Philippines on Wednesday.

The agreement does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency 's Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections and verification, according to a second person familiar with the decision.

The deal is expected to last 30 years and involve U.S. firms in developing the program. The Energy Department in a statement said it will be submitted for review to Congress, where it could face opposition.

The oil-rich kingdom's Energy Ministry said the agreement bolsters “efforts to diversify energy sources, advance cutting-edge technologies, and expand opportunities for cooperation and investment in ways that serve the mutual interests of the two friendly countries.”

The announcement comes during the war against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel, in part, to wipe out Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has insisted its nuclear enrichment program is peaceful.

Ahead of the announcement, Alexander Bollfrass, a nuclear expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, called the deal “a revolutionary new approach” to nuclear nonproliferation policy.

“The revolutionary aspect of this agreement is that the United States is not asking Saudi Arabia to abide by the highest possible safeguards, internationally monitored safeguards that are standard and are available today, but instead is willing to at least theoretically transfer highly sensitive technology without the same level of oversight that one would expect,” Bollfrass said.

President Donald Trump, during his first term, and former President Joe Biden tried to reach a nuclear deal with the kingdom to share American technology.

Enrichment could open the door to weaponization

Nonproliferation experts warn any spinning centrifuges within Saudi Arabia could open the door to a possible weapons program for the kingdom, something its assertive de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has suggested he could pursue if Tehran obtains an atomic bomb.

Wright traveled to Saudi Arabia last year shortly before Trump visited and discussed building out the kingdom’s commercial nuclear power industry with his Saudi counterpart. The U.S. Department of Energy has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Already, Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact after Israel launched an attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials. Pakistan’s defense minister then said his nation’s nuclear program “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if needed, something seen as a warning for Israel, long believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed state.

Some lawmakers are hesitant about giving Saudis enrichment capability

Enrichment isn’t an automatic path to a nuclear weapon — a nation also must master other steps, including the use of synchronized high explosives, for instance. But it does open the door to weaponization, which has fueled the West's concerns over Iran’s program.

The United Arab Emirates, a neighbor to Saudi Arabia, signed a 123 agreement with the U.S. to build its Barakah nuclear power plant with South Korean assistance. But the UAE did so without seeking enrichment, something nonproliferation experts have held up as the “gold standard” for nations wanting atomic power.

Rubio, as a Republican senator representing Florida, backed a bipartisan 2018 proposal that called for requiring Congress to approve any 123 agreement with Saudi Arabia. The bill was reintroduced by a group of Democratic lawmakers in March but has not passed into law.

Typically, 123 agreements — which authorize U.S. companies to sell nuclear technology abroad — go into effect unless veto-proof majorities of Congress pass joint resolutions of disapproval.

Rosemary Kelanic, the Middle East director at Defense Priorities, a Washington think tank, said that uranium enrichment capability could give Saudi Arabia “a potent source of leverage to extract future concessions from Washington, including new security guarantees, by threatening to weaponize its program unless the United States promises enhanced military protection.”

US firms could be winners in expected deal

Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, predicted the deal would benefit U.S. nuclear giant Westinghouse, which builds the large light-water reactors Saudi Arabia is seeking.

The Trump administration said last month it is providing $17.5 billion in loans to speed development of 10 new large nuclear reactors designed by Westinghouse to meet skyrocketing power demand from massive data centers. The new reactors could use the same design, Westinghouse’s AP1000, in the planned Saudi deal.

Sherman said the U.S. military is “bombing Iran because they insist upon enriching and reprocessing” nuclear material.

Now it appears that U.S. officials “are entering into an agreement with Saudi Arabia, giving them the green light to reprocess and to enrich, and the only difference I see here is that Westinghouse stands to make an awful lot of money on this deal, whereas the Iranians were not enriching American companies,” Sherman said at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday.

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Price reported from Manila, Philippines. Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

Troopers said Aaron Wade Hunter, 56, was driving north on Coastal Highway and moved into the southbound lane while trying to pass another vehicle. A 25-year-old driver struck the motorcycle, knocking Hunter onto the shoulder. He was wearing a helmet and died at the scene, FHP said.

The other driver was not injured. His vehicle came to rest on the west shoulder of the road after striking a Circle K gas price sign, FHP said.

It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether charges have been filed or are pending against the other driver.

In a GoFundMe, Hunter’s family described him as a deeply devoted son, brother, and caregiver who had overcome significant hardship in his life. Hunter served in the United States Army before experiencing a period of homelessness, which his family said he overcame through determination and faith. In recent years, he had been working two jobs while caring for aging family members.

Hunter’s sister, Alicia Harper, said that Hunter had cared for their mother throughout her battle with cancer until her death in 2023, and remained by their father’s side until his unexpected passing in 2025.

On the night he was killed, Harper wrote, Hunter had just finished his second job and was stopping at a store before heading to check on his aunt.

“Wade was so much more than the tragedy that took him,” Harper wrote. “He was a deeply loved son, brother, father, nephew, uncle, loyal friend, veteran, surfer, and one of the hardest-working people you could ever meet.”

The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and burial expenses, intending to lay Hunter to rest beside his parents.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was about 70 miles southwest of Biloxi, Mississippi. The system officially made landfall in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana early Wednesday afternoon.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to 45 mph with higher gusts, and the minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1000 mb.

The system is creeping west-northwest at 7 mph.

Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

Bertha will gradually weaken through the end of this week due to land interaction in the Gulf and wind shear.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for

• Alabama/Florida border to Morgan City, Louisiana
• Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for

• West of Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas
• Lake Maurepas

Aside from isolated showers and storms due to the wind flow around the system pushing tropical moisture over us, additional impacts are not expected for our area.

This is due to the system’s westerly movement, which will keep the highest rainfall totals across the northern Gulf Coast.

A father who lives along Ponte Vedra Boulevard says the road has been a safety crisis for years.

Joshua Rudnick moved to Ponte Vedra in 2023 so his son could attend the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine. He put up signs north and south of his driveway reading “slow blind child area” and has repeatedly warned the Florida Department of Transportation that someone would get killed on the 55 mph road.

After two people died in a crash near his home on Sunday, Rudnick says the agency still isn’t doing enough.

“This is something I told FDOT was going to happen,” Rudnick said.

Troopers said a 38-year-old driver from Ponte Vedra Beach was headed north on A1A when, for unknown reasons, he crossed the center line into the southbound lane, where his SUV collided head-on with another SUV. Both drivers died, including the 20-year-old driver of the other SUV.

Speeds Far Exceeding the Limit

Rudnick says drivers routinely blow past the posted 55 mph speed limit — often by a wide margin.

“I’m assuming people don’t do 55,” he said. “Everyone’s going at least 10 miles above the speed limit — emphasis on ‘at least.’ I’ve seen motorcycles, cars doing 85, a hundred miles an hour on this road.”

Enforcing those speeds is a problem in itself. Rudnick points out the road has no shoulder, leaving no safe place for a St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputy to run radar.

“They can’t sit and run radar because they have to worry about their own safety,” he said.

FDOT Cites Legal Process

FDOT says it cannot simply lower a speed limit on request. The agency follows a statutory process requiring speed limits on state roadways to be set through engineering studies. Those studies evaluate road conditions and driving patterns using the 85th-percentile speed — the speed at or below which 85 percent of drivers are traveling.

In a statement to News4JAX, FDOT said, in part: “While there are no existing plans to improve the infrastructure at the location at this time, if there are improvements that can be made to enhance the safety of the facilities, FDOT will work to implement them.”

‘Not Listening to the People Who Live Here’

Rudnick says that response falls short. He argues FDOT is making decisions without input from the people who use the road every day.

“The failure is they’re not taking any practical approach,” he said. “They’re looking at this in a vacuum, making a decision in a vacuum — and not listening to the neighbors and the people who live on this road and travel it daily.”

Neighbors echoed that frustration following the weekend crash.

“People are looking at this and saying, ‘Oh, this is just a bunch of privileged people complaining about the speed limit on their road,’” one resident said. “This is a public safety issue. Two lives were lost.”

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is also weighing in. In a statement posted Tuesday, the agency said there have been several fatal and serious-injury traffic crashes on the road this month. It said it understands the community’s concerns and is working closely with state and county officials on potential road improvements.

The potential political peril has only grown in recent days, particularly for Republicans facing reelection in November. But while some GOP lawmakers say they want more information from President Donald Trump’s administration on the endgame and the escalating cost, they continue to defend the president’s decision to engage and have voted repeatedly to cede congressional powers to the White House.

“Is anyone out there in the real world happy with gas prices? No,” said Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican who grilled military leaders for more detail at a contentious hearing Tuesday. “But I think they understand why gas prices are as high as they are.”

It’s still unclear, though, if more Republicans — many of whom have been privately questioning the conflict — will speak out publicly as the midterm elections approach. GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate are expected to face the next test of their loyalty this week as Democrats force new votes on whether Trump should seek congressional approval for military action against Iran.

As Congress considers whether to weigh in, the U.S. has carried out waves of airstrikes in recent days as the two countries clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Gas prices have spiked again and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at the hearing Tuesday that the U.S. had spent $37.5 billion on the war so far. On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base for the arrival and dignified transfer of the remains of four U.S. service members.

“I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs — I think it’s important that people be held accountable,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who is expected to lead the next war powers vote as soon as Thursday. “And this is a very unpopular war.”

Polls find Americans disapprove of the war

Most Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling the situation with Iran, according to recent polling. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in July found that few Americans think the war in Iran has been worth fighting, and most aren’t confident that the U.S. military action in Iran and negotiations to end the war will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Only about two-thirds of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the situation in Iran, according to the Washington Post/Ipsos poll. Most Republicans, about 6 in 10, think the war has been worth fighting and are confident that the military action and ensuing negotiations will prevent Iran from development nuclear weapons, but a sizable share — about one-third — are not convinced.

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who is up for reelection this year, said that he tries to explain to voters that he has seen the intelligence and believes the war was necessary to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon. But we need to “finish the job,” Rounds said.

“It’s challenging” to explain it to people back home, Rounds said. “It’s complicated, and a lot of the stuff we know, we can’t talk about, because it’s classified.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, another Republican up for reelection, questioned military leaders at Tuesday’s hearing on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

“It seems to me that there’s been a different plan almost daily with dealing with this problem,” she told Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

War powers votes have shifted as conflict has dragged on

Opposing the war can have a political cost, as well. Collins was one of four Republicans to side with Democrats when the Senate passed a war powers resolution on Iran for the first time in June. The vote greatly angered Trump, who attended a GOP Senate luncheon the next day and called the four Republicans “losers.”

One of the other Republicans to vote for the war powers resolution was Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican who lost his Senate seat in a primary after Trump endorsed one of his opponents.

In the closed-door luncheon, Cassidy told Trump directly that he needed to give more details to the public about the conflict. “This was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months,” he said. “Our original objectives have not been achieved.”

Trump argued back, Cassidy later told reporters, and he told the president that he wouldn’t change his vote until he got a briefing. The White House later relented, giving Cassidy a one-on-one meeting, and the Louisiana Republican changed his vote in a late night do-over vote before the Senate left for a two-week recess.

Cassidy wouldn’t say Wednesday whether recent developments would change his vote when the Senate takes up the next resolution to halt the war.

“I’m not commenting on that,” he said.

House to consider war powers resolution

The House is expected to consider a war powers resolution Thursday after also approving a similar measure in June. It is unclear whether enough Republicans could again vote with Democrats to pass the resolution, led by Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has aggressively lobbied his members against the war powers measures. Echoing Trump, Johnson said this week that the U.S. has ensured that Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon that “would be a disaster for everybody.”

Still, he said, there is a global understanding that “now we got to wrap it up.”

Asked about the war on Wednesday before his Dover trip, Trump voiced continued confidence in his approach.

“Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they aren’t against the war,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Amelia Thomson DeVeaux contributed to this report.

Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein set the June 1 trial date at the request of lawyers on both sides. Under the approved schedule, defense lawyers will begin filing requests in early September to challenge the indictment and the couple will return to the courtroom Nov. 17 for oral arguments on the motions.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held at a Brooklyn jail since U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home in a middle-of-the-night raid and brought them to New York in early January.

Neither spoke during Wednesday’s 15-minute hearing as each sat separately at a defense table, surrounded by their lawyers. Both have pleaded not guilty. They face potential life prison sentences if a jury agrees that they were part of a conspiracy to send cocaine into the U.S.

As he was led into the courtroom, the bespectacled Maduro greeted the judge’s staff and shook hands with lawyers for him and his wife. Noticeably thinner in a tan jail suit and with his thick mustache, he seemed upbeat, smiling and chatting with his lawyer. He listened to a Spanish interpretation of the proceeding through headphones and clasped his hands in front of him in a prayerlike gesture. He had a black pen wedged in his right fingers and sporadically jotted notes on a white pad.

As deputy U.S. marshals led him out, he waved to someone in the gallery.

President Donald Trump’s administration has defended the raid to capture Maduro as a “surgical law enforcement operation” in a criminal case first brought six years ago. Maduro has called himself a prisoner of war and his capture a kidnapping.

U.S. prosecutors say Maduro carried out a conspiracy to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to help drug kingpins.

“I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country,” he said in Spanish at his arraignment in January.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, has said he expects to contest the legality of Maduro’s “military abduction.”

During Wednesday's hearing, Pollack said he will first challenge the indictment on sovereign immunity grounds because if that is successful, Maduro won't have to continue litigating the case.

The lawyers have said there are complex legal defenses that the court must address before a trial can begin.

Maduro and Flores have not asked to be released on bail.

For six months, Ashanti Asato, owner of Sugared Ink, said she repeatedly reported the impersonation accounts to TikTok, but many remained active.

After News4JAX contacted TikTok while investigating the scam, the company said it reviewed the accounts and removed them for violating its policies.

“They are persuading my potential clients and current clients to send the money and scam them out of a deposit,” Asato told News4JAX, adding that she “can’t even count” how many people have been targeted.

News4JAX identified at least 10 TikTok accounts impersonating Asato by using her videos, photos and tattoo portfolio. Some of the fake accounts even paid to promote stolen videos as advertisements, making the scam appear more legitimate.

“This was a paid promotional ad,” Asato said while showing one of the fake profiles. “That is me. That is all of my work. This is my entire video. But this person saved everything I had, paid for it to be advertised and ended up getting some hefty deposits out of that.”

According to Asato, the scammers communicated with prospective clients through TikTok, collected deposits through peer-to-peer payment apps such as Cash App, Venmo or PayPal, then scheduled appointments at her Jacksonville tattoo studio.

When customers arrived, they discovered they were never actually booked.

“You have people physically showing up here expecting to get a tattoo?” News4JAX asked.

“Yes,” Asato said. “They kind of get taken aback when they contact me and they’re like, ‘Hey, I booked with you.’ And I’m like, ‘Hey, actually you didn’t, and I think you got scammed.’”

TikTok removes accounts after News4JAX inquiry

Asato said she had reported the fake accounts to TikTok over the past six months without success.

After News4JAX reached out to TikTok for comment and provided examples of the impersonation accounts, the company said it reviewed the accounts and removed them.

“Our Community Guidelines prohibit accounts that mislead or try to manipulate our platform, including impersonation,” a TikTok spokesperson said. “Upon review, we’ve removed the accounts you shared for violating these policies.”

The spokesperson said impersonation is an industrywide issue affecting social media platforms and that TikTok uses automated detection and human moderators to identify and remove fraudulent accounts, often before they’re reported.

TikTok said its Community Guidelines prohibit deceptive impersonation and encourage users to report suspicious accounts through the app. The company also offers verified badges for eligible creators, businesses and public figures to help users identify authentic accounts.

How customers can protect themselves

Asato said one of the biggest warning signs is being asked to send a deposit directly through payment apps.

“When my clients book with me, they don’t physically send me their deposit,” she said. “They send it to my booking site.”

She recommends anyone booking appointments through social media:

• Verify they are communicating with the business’s official account.
• Book through the artist’s official website or booking platform whenever possible.
• Be cautious of requests to send deposits through Cash App, Venmo or PayPal.
• Contact the business directly using verified contact information before sending money.

“For me, it’s more than tattoos. This is a whole experience,” Asato said. “I do everything out of love, with love, for myself, for my community, for my clients, and I just want to make sure that their money is going where they want it to go.”

While the fake accounts News4JAX identified have since been removed, Asato encourages customers to remain vigilant, as scammers often create new impersonation profiles after others are taken down.

Donald Heine, 51, was taken into custody by the Duval County School Police. He faces three charges: felony child abuse without great bodily harm, misdemeanor battery, and simple assault.

According to the arrest report, the alleged abuse occurred July 7 during the summer school session. The victim — a nonverbal autistic student — urinated on himself and the surrounding floor area. According to the report, witnesses said Heine became enraged, grabbed the student roughly, forced him to the ground near the urine puddle, and used the student’s body and shirt to wipe up the mess before a custodian could respond.

Another teacher provided a written statement describing what she saw.

“[He] grabbed and lifted [the student] down to the floor, pulled his head down and made him wipe like a mop before he let the custodian clean the area,” the reporter said.

A second witness also corroborated the account, saying Heine had a ‘rough encounter’ with the student and during that incident, the student urinated on himself while he was sitting down.

“Mr. Heine proceeded to wrestle [the student] in a rough manner and pushed him down to the floor where the pee was,” the statement said. “Hines grabbed [the student] and rubbed his body/clothes on the urinated floor in attempts to clean the mess.”

A separate alleged incident occurred the next day on July 8. According to the arrest report, the same student was spitting on others when Heine grabbed an antiseptic spray and sprayed it directly on the student’s head. The report said one teacher stated that he and others told Heine to stop, but Heine continued spraying.

The investigation started on July 8 after school officials were contacted about the incidents.

The victim’s parent told investigators the student arrived home July 7 with damp clothing that smelled of urine and that the student’s physical gestures indicated he was very upset. The parent stated a desire to pursue criminal charges against Heine.

The school’s principal notified professional standards, and a report was filed with the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Heine was also prohibited from being on campus while a criminal investigation and an internal human resources investigation were underway.

Atlantic Coast

Aug. 14, Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Aug. 21, Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Sept. 11, Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Oct. 16, Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 23, Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Baker County

Aug. 14, Dunnellon at Baker County

Aug. 21, Baker County at Clay

Aug. 28, Bradford at Baker County

Sept. 4, Baldwin at Baker County

Sept. 11, Baker County at Yulee

Sept. 18, Baker County at Palatka

Sept. 25, Baker County at Godby

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fort White at Baker County

Oct. 23, Wakulla at Baker County

Oct. 30, Baker County at Ocala West Port

Note: Home games played off campus at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Baldwin

Aug. 14, Baldwin at Middleburg

Aug. 21, Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Baldwin at Baker County

Sept. 11, Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Baldwin at Bolles

Oct. 2, Parker at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail

Aug. 14, Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Aug. 21, Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Aug. 28, Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Sept. 4, Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Sept. 11, Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Bartram Trail at Creekside

Sept. 25, Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Bartram Trail at Beachside

Oct. 16, Nease at Bartram Trail

Oct. 23, Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Land O’ Lakes at Bartram Trail

Beachside

Aug. 14, Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Aug. 21, Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 11, Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Sept. 17 (Thursday), Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Beachside at Nease

Oct. 1 (Thursday), Beachside at Port St. Lucie Legacy

Oct. 9, Bartram Trail at Beachside

Oct. 16, Mandarin at Beachside

Oct. 23, Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Westside at Beachside

Bishop Kenny

Aug. 14, Clay at Bishop Kenny

Aug. 21, Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Aug. 28, Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Sept. 4, Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Sept. 11, Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Sept. 18, Bishop Kenny at Merritt Island

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Menendez at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 9, Raines at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 16, Zarephath at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 23, Bishop Kenny at Parker

Oct. 30, Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Bishop Snyder

Aug. 14, Bishop Snyder at Port Orange Atlantic

Aug. 21, Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Aug. 28, Bishop Snyder at Oak Hall

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Brookwood at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 18, Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 25, St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 2, Lake Highland Prep at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Bishop Snyder at Faith Christian

Oct. 16, Old Plank Christian at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 23, Bishop Snyder at Seven Rivers Christian

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Bolles

Aug. 14, Camden County at Bolles

Aug. 21, Columbia at Bolles

Aug. 28, Bolles at Archbishop McCarthy

Sept. 4, Bolles at University Christian

Sept. 11, Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Sept. 18, Oakleaf at Bolles

Sept. 25, Baldwin at Bolles

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Oct. 16, Bolles at Trinity Christian

Oct. 23, Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Buchholz at Bolles

Bradford

Aug. 14, Menendez at Bradford

Aug. 21, West Port at Bradford

Aug. 28, Bradford at Baker County

Sept. 4, Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Trinity Catholic at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 25, Bradford at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Bradford at Gainesville Eastside

Oct. 9, Bradford at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, OFF

Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 14, Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Aug. 21, First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 28, Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 4, Christ’s Church Academy at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Christ’s Church Academy at Duval Charter

Sept. 17, Young Kids in Motion at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 25, McKinney Christian (Texas) at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 2, Christ’s Church Academy at Oak Hall

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 16, Christ’s Church Academy at True Institute

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Clay

Aug. 14, Clay at Bishop Kenny

Aug. 21, Baker County at Clay

Aug. 28, Matanzas at Clay

Sept. 4, Clay at Palatka

Sept. 11, Orange Park at Clay

Sept. 18, Clay at Fernandina Beach

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Clay at St. Augustine

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Clay at Fleming Island

Oct. 16, Ridgeview at Clay

Oct. 23, Middleburg at Clay

Oct. 30, Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Columbia

Aug. 14, Columbia at Oakleaf

Aug. 21, Columbia at Bolles

Aug. 28, Lakewood at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Madison County at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Columbia at Trinity Christian

Sept. 25, Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Columbia at Manatee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Columbia at Ed White

Oct. 23, Yulee at Columbia

Oct. 30, Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical

Aug. 14, OFF

Aug. 21, Cornerstone Classical at Bishop McLaughlin, 6 p.m.

Aug. 28, Bronson at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 4, Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 11, Cornerstone Classical at Seven Rivers Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Old Plank Christian at Cornerstone Classical, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Cornerstone Classical at Aucilla Christian

Oct. 2, Atlantic at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Oct. 23, Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 30, TBA

Creekside

Aug. 14, Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Creekside at Nease

Aug. 28, Fleming Island at Creekside

Sept. 4, Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Sept. 18, Bartram Trail at Creekside

Sept. 25, Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Oct. 16, Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 23, First Coast at Creekside

Oct. 30, Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Duval Charter

Aug. 14, Stanton at Duval Charter

Aug. 21, Duval Charter at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 27, Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Christ’s Church at Duval Charter

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Episcopal at Duval Charter

Oct. 2, Duval Charter at Halifax Academy

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Joshua Christian at Duval Charter

Oct. 16, Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Oct. 23, Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Eagle’s View

Aug. 14, Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Aug. 21, Eagle’s View at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Providence at Eagle’s View

Sept. 11, First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Sept. 18, Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Bell at Eagle’s View

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Eagle’s View at Keswick Christian

Oct. 15 (Thursday), Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Oct. 23, Halifax Academy at Eagle’s View

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Note: Home games played at Normandy Athletic Association

Ed White

Aug. 14, Ed White at Nease

Aug. 21, Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Ed White at Oakleaf

Oct. 9, Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Columbia at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Englewood

Aug. 14, Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Aug. 28, Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 17 (Thursday), Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Paxon and Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Young Kids in Motion at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal

Aug. 14, Westminster Academy at Episcopal

Aug. 21, Episcopal at Providence

Aug. 28, Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Episcopal at KIPP Bold City

Sept. 11, Westside at Episcopal

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Episcopal at Duval Charter

Oct. 2, NFEI at Episcopal

Oct. 9, Wolfson at Episcopal

Oct. 15 (Thursday), Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Oct. 23, Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Fernandina Beach

Aug. 14, Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

Aug. 21, Leon at Fernandina Beach

Aug. 28, Fernandina Beach at NFEI

Sept. 4, Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Clay at Fernandina Beach

Sept. 25, West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 2, Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Union County at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 16, Providence at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 23, Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

First Coast

Aug. 14, Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 18, Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, First Coast at Creekside

Oct. 30, Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian

Aug. 14, First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Aug. 21, First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 28, First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Sept. 18, Union County at First Coast Christian

Sept. 25, Stanton at First Coast Christian

Oct. 2, Gainesville P.K. Yonge at First Coast Christian

Oct. 9, First Coast Christian at Port Orange Atlantic

Oct. 16, First Coast Christian at Joshua Christian

Oct. 23, Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 14, Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Aug. 21, Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 28, Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 4, Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 24, Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 2, Flagler Palm Coast at Orange City University

Oct. 9, Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 16, Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 23, Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Fleming Island

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Fleming Island at Creekside

Sept. 4, Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Sept. 11, Ridgeview at Fleming Island

Sept. 18, Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Sept. 25, Fleming Island at Orange Park

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Clay at Fleming Island

Oct. 16, Middleburg at Fleming Island

Oct. 23, Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Oct. 30, Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Fletcher

Aug. 14, Fletcher at Yulee

Aug. 21, Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Plant City at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 23, Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Fort White

Aug. 14, Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Eastside at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Fort White at Chiefland, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Santa Fe at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Taylor County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Mayo Lafayette at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Fort White at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fort White at Baker County

Oct. 23, Hamilton County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Fort White at Palatka

Harvest Community

Aug. 14, First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Aug. 21, Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 27 (Thursday), Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Sept. 4, Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 11, Bell at Harvest Community

Sept. 18, Harvest Community at Bronson

Sept. 25, Halifax Academy at Harvest Community

Oct. 1 (Thursday), Trinity Prep at Harvest Community

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 16, Harvest Community at Taylor Pierson

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Hilliard

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Hilliard at All Saints Academy

Aug. 28, First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Sept. 4, Keystone Heights at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Hilliard at St. Joseph

Sept. 25, Scintilla Charter at Hilliard

Oct. 2, Old Plank Christian at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Aucilla Christian at Hilliard

Oct. 16, Hilliard at Dixie County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 30, Hilliard at Taylor Pierson, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian

Aug. 14, Impact Christian at Taylor County

Aug. 21, Impact Christian at Chiles

Aug. 29 (Saturday), Halifax Academy at Impact Christian

Sept. 4, Trenton at Impact Christian

Sept. 11, Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Providence at Impact Christian

Sept. 25, Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Gadsden County at Impact Christian

Oct. 9, Impact Christian at Hamilton County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Impact Christian at Menendez

Oct. 23, Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Oct. 30, OFF

Note: Home games played at Fort Family Regional Park.

Interlachen

Aug. 14, Interlachen at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Bell at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Interlachen at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Bronson at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Interlachen at Citrus, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Lake Weir at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, P.K. Yonge at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Interlachen at Wildwood

Oct. 23, Interlachen at Atlantic

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Jackson

Aug. 14, Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Jackson at Orange Park

Aug. 28, Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Jackson at West Nassau, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Keystone Heights

Aug. 14, Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

Aug. 21, Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, P.K. Yonge at Keystone Heights

Sept. 4, Keystone Heights at Hilliard

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Keystone Heights at Bell

Sept. 25, Atlantic at Keystone Heights

Oct. 2, Keystone Heights at Crescent City

Oct. 9, Dixie County at Keystone Heights

Oct. 16, Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, West Nassau at Keystone Heights

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

KIPP Bold City

Aug. 14, Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Sept. 4, Episcopal at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Oct. 16, KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Sunlake at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin

Aug. 14, Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Mandarin at McArthur (Broward County Showcase)

Aug. 28, Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Mandarin at Nease

Sept. 18, Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Lake Mary at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 16, Mandarin at Beachside

Oct. 23, Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Matanzas

Aug. 14, Daytona Beach Seabreeze at Matanzas

Aug. 21, Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 28, Matanzas at Clay

Sept. 4, Deltona at Matanzas

Sept. 11, Matanzas at Ocala Forest

Sept. 18, Menendez at Matanzas

Sept. 25, Pine Ridge at Matanzas

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Gainesville Buchholz at Matanzas

Oct. 16, Matanzas at Oakleaf

Oct. 23, West Port at Matanzas

Oct. 30, Matanzas at Palm Bay

Menendez

Aug. 14, Menendez at Bradford

Aug. 21, Menendez at Middleburg

Aug. 28, Menendez at Ridgeview

Sept. 4, St. Augustine at Menendez

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Menendez at Matanzas

Sept. 25, Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Menendez at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 9, Menendez at Palatka

Oct. 16, Impact Christian at Menendez

Oct. 23, Westside at Menendez

Oct. 30, Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Middleburg

Aug. 14, Baldwin at Middleburg

Aug. 21, Menendez at Middleburg

Aug. 28, Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Sept. 4, Middleburg at North Marion

Sept. 11, St. Augustine at Middleburg

Sept. 18, Newberry at Middleburg

Sept. 25, Middleburg at Ridgeview

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Orange Park at Middleburg

Oct. 16, Middleburg at Fleming Island

Oct. 23, Middleburg at Clay

Oct. 30, Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Nease

Aug. 14, Ed White at Nease

Aug. 21, Creekside at Nease

Aug. 28, Nease at St. Augustine

Sept. 4, Daytona Beach Mainland at Nease

Sept. 11, Mandarin at Nease

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 24, Beachside at Nease

Oct. 2, Riverside at Nease

Oct. 9, Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Nease at Bartram Trail

Oct. 23, Ponte Vedra at Nease

Oct. 30, Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

NFEI

Aug. 14, NFEI at Father Lopez

Aug. 21, Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Aug. 28, Fernandina Beach at NFEI

Sept. 4, Bluffton at NFEI

Sept. 11, NFEI at Providence

Sept. 18, NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Trinity Christian at NFEI

Oct. 2, NFEI at Episcopal

Oct. 9, Wilder Sports Academy

Oct. 16, Taylor County at NFEI

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA

Oakleaf

Aug. 14, Columbia at Oakleaf

Aug. 21, Raines at Oakleaf

Aug. 28, Orange Park at Oakleaf

Sept. 4, Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Oakleaf at Bolles

Sept. 25, West Port at Oakleaf

Oct. 2, Ed White at Oakleaf

Oct. 9, Oakleaf at Ocala Forest

Oct. 16, Matanzas at Oakleaf

Oct. 23, Oakleaf at Buchholz

Oct. 30, Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Old Plank Christian Academy

Aug. 14, Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Aug. 21, Duval Charter at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Christ’s Church Academy at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, St. Joseph at Old Plank

Sept. 18, Old Plank at Cornerstone Classical, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Seven Rivers Christian at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Old Plank at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Oak Hall at Old Plank

Oct. 16, Old Plank at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 23, Bronson at Old Plank

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Orange Park

Aug. 13, Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Aug. 21, Jackson at Orange Park

Aug. 28, Orange Park at Oakleaf

Sept. 4, Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Sept. 11, Orange Park at Clay

Sept. 18, Parker at Orange Park

Sept. 25, Fleming Island at Orange Park

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Orange Park at Middleburg

Oct. 16, Orange Park at St. Augustine

Oct. 22 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Orange Park

Oct. 30, Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Palatka

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, St. Augustine at Palatka

Aug. 28, Palatka at Union County

Sept. 4, Clay at Palatka

Sept. 11, Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Baker County at Palatka

Sept. 25, Westside at Palatka

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Palatka at Menendez

Oct. 16, Palatka at Newberry

Oct. 23, Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Fort White at Palatka

Parker

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Parker at Orange Park

Sept. 25, Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Baldwin at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Bishop Kenny at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon

Aug. 14, West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 4, Paxon at Williston, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Paxon at Ridgeview

Oct. 9, Paxon at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Ponte Vedra

Aug. 14, St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 21, University Christian at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 28, Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Sept. 4, Merritt Island at Ponte Vedra

Sept. 11, Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Sept. 18, Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Sept. 25, Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 16, Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 23, Ponte Vedra at Nease

Oct. 30, Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Providence

Aug. 14, Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Episcopal at Providence

Aug. 28, Providence at Umatilla

Sept. 4, Providence at Eagle’s View

Sept. 11, NFEI at Providence

Sept. 18, Providence at Impact Christian

Sept. 25, Providence at Seffner Christian

Oct. 2, West Nassau at Providence

Oct. 9, Foundation Academy at Providence

Oct. 16, Providence at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, Halifax Academy at Providence

Raines

Aug. 14, Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Raines at Oakleaf

Aug. 28, Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Venice at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Raines at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 16, Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Raines at Cocoa

Oct. 31 (Saturday), Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

Ribault

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Ribault at Rickards

Aug. 21, First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Ribault at Ridgeview

Sept. 25, Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Ribault at Yulee

Oct. 23, Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 (Saturday), Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

Ridgeview

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Gainesville, 6 p.m.

Aug. 21, Westside at Ridgeview

Aug. 28, Menendez at Ridgeview

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Ridgeview at Fleming Island

Sept. 18, Ribault at Ridgeview

Sept. 25, Middleburg at Ridgeview

Oct. 2, Paxon at Ridgeview

Oct. 9, St. Augustine at Ridgeview

Oct. 16, Ridgeview at Clay

Oct. 22 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Orange Park

Oct. 30, Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside

Aug. 14, Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 4, Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Riverside at Nease

Oct. 9, Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sandalwood

Aug. 14, Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Sandalwood at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 16, First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 30, Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine

Aug. 14, St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 21, St. Augustine at Palatka

Aug. 28, Nease at St. Augustine

Sept. 4, St. Augustine at Menendez

Sept. 11, St. Augustine at Middleburg

Sept. 18, Orlando Evans at St. Augustine

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Clay at St. Augustine

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, St. Augustine at Ridgeview

Oct. 16, Orange Park at St. Augustine

Oct. 23, Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Oct. 30, St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph

Aug. 14, Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Aug. 21, OFF

Aug. 28, Geneva at St. Joseph

Sept. 3 (Thursday), Young Kids in Motion at St. Joseph

Sept. 11, St. Joseph at Old Plank Christian

Sept. 18, Hilliard at St. Joseph

Sept. 25, St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 2, Branford at St. Joseph

Oct. 9, St. Joseph at West Oaks Academy

Oct. 16, St. Joseph at Oak Hall

Oct. 23, St. Joseph at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal

TBA, Sunshine State Athletic Association playoffs

Stanton

Aug. 14, Stanton at Duval Charter

Aug. 21, Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 25, Stanton at First Coast Christian

Oct. 2, Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Suwannee

Aug. 14, Madison County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Suwannee at Crystal River

Aug. 28, Lafayette at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Gainesville at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Hamilton County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Suwannee at Wakulla

Oct. 2, Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Suwannee at Godby

Oct. 30, Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Aug. 21, Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Aug. 28, Tocoi Creek at Daytona Beach Seabreeze

Sept. 4, Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 11, Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Sept. 18, Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 23, Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 30, Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Trinity Christian

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, University Christian at Trinity Christian

Sept. 4, Trinity Christian at Tallahassee Lincoln

Sept. 11, American Heritage at Trinity Christian

Sept. 18, Columbia at Trinity Christian

Sept. 25, Trinity Christian at NFEI

Oct. 2, Trinity Christian at Carrollwood Day

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Bolles at Trinity Christian

Oct. 23, Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Oct. 30, Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Union County

Aug. 14, Lafayette at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Union County at Rutherford, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Palatka at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Union County at First Coast Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Union County at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 16, Father Lopez at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

University Christian

Aug. 14, University Christian at Trinity Catholic

Aug. 21, University Christian at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 28, University Christian at Trinity Christian

Sept. 4, Lecanto at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, University Christian at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Florida High at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, University Christian at Williston

Oct. 16, University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 29 (Thursday), University Christian at Calvary Christian

West Nassau

Aug. 14, West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Charlton County at West Nassau

Aug. 28, KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, West Nassau at Bayside

Sept. 18, Yulee at West Nassau

Sept. 25, West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 2, West Nassau at Providence

Oct. 10, West Deptford (NJ) at West Nassau

Oct. 16, Jackson at West Nassau

Oct. 23, West Nassau at Keystone Heights

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Westside

Aug. 14, Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Westside at Ridgeview

Aug. 28, Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Westside at Episcopal

Sept. 18, Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Westside at Palatka

Oct. 2, Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Westside at Menendez

Oct. 30, Westside at Beachside

Wolfson

Aug. 14, Hamilton County at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Sandalwood at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Wolfson at Episcopal

Oct. 16, Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, OFF

Yulee

Aug. 14, Fletcher at Yulee

Aug. 21, Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Sept. 11, Baker County at Yulee

Sept. 18, Yulee at West Nassau

Sept. 25, Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Ribault at Yulee

Oct. 23, Yulee at Columbia

Oct. 30, Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Zarephath Academy

Aug. 14, OFF

Aug. 21, Zarephath Academy at IMG Academy White

Aug. 28, Zarephath Academy at Santa Fe

Sept. 4, Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Zarephath Academy at Dixie County

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Zarephath Academy at West Oaks

Oct. 2, Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Zarephath Academy at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 23, Zarephath Academy at Umatilla

Oct. 30, Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Note: Home games, if any, played at Ray Greene Park 2149 Leonid Road

House Republicans were divided over the plan, with conservatives wary because there are no offsetting budget cuts. But Speaker Mike Johnson plunged ahead, viewing the go-it-alone process as the best chance to usher President Donald Trump's priorities through the split Congress, despite skepticism in the Senate.

The vote tally was 216-214, with two Republicans and one independent joining Democrats in opposition.

“Just bullets and bombs to finish the job,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the chairman of the Budget Committee.

Democrats argued the money should be spent at home, particularly on efforts to lower costs for Americans.

“Republicans plan to spend tens of billions of dollars on Trump’s failed war in Iran,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, this week. “Think about what we could spend with these resources instead.”

Congress is at a standstill over the U.S. war against Iran — unable to stop Trump's military strikes, but not having authorized the use of American military force — and politically torn over having to provide billions of taxpayer dollars to pay for it. Most Americans disapprove of Trump's Iran strategy, according to a recent AP-NORC poll.

The budget battle comes as Trump attended the dignified transfer of four service members killed in the Middle East, bringing the military death toll to 18. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at a fiery hearing this week that the Pentagon is running short of cash, despite a massive $150 billion one-time allotment in last year's big budget bill.

Even as the House action advanced the resolution, Johnson’s strategy faces uncertainty in the Senate.

The package has $60 billion for the Pentagon and $13 billion for other national security needs, $12 billion for farmers struggling under Trump’s tariffs and $10 billion for voting law changes aligned with the SAVE America Act and proof-of-citizenship requirements that are Trump’s top priority.

A once rare budget tool is now the norm in split Congress

Republicans are relying on the budget reconciliation process, which enables approval on a majority vote in Congress, bypassing the Senate's ability to filibuster the measure t o stall or kill it.

Once rare, the reconciliation process is now Johnson's preferred strategy for pushing proposals through Congress. It's the way Republicans approved Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill last summer and funded Homeland Security this year over Democrats' refusal to fund Trump's mass deportation agenda.

“No matter how you feel about current events, these funds are necessary to ensure our fighting forces remain ready, our troops are paid and our nation is safe," said Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

But House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Republicans have literally ripped food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans to sustain the Trump war machine.”

Among those opposed was Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, a former Republican turned independent, who said he felt any war funding bill should be bipartisan. He also wanted to ensure Congress had a “much higher level of involvement” in bringing the war to an end, and he said this proposal did not set that process in motion.

Republicans Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio also voted against.

This is the third time GOP leaders have relied on reconciliation, dubbing this version 3.0, and it's a lengthy process. If the House approves the budget resolution, it next goes to the Senate for a round-the-clock session to consider politically tough amendments — something senators would rather avoid in an election year.

The budget resolution sets out instructions for the various committees to draft legislation, which Johnson hopes could be done this summer, with final voting on the package once lawmakers return after the August recess.

Senators pan House's budget and have their own ideas

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been noncommittal on the House package that also divides his own GOP majority, with some Republican senators preferring more money for the military and others demanding the costs be offset with cuts elsewhere.

“We’ll see,” Thune said this week.

Thune's focus, at the moment, is avoiding another government shutdown. He wants the Senate to approve a stopgap funding measure, called a continuing resolution, to provide routine government funding before lawmakers leave for the summer break.

If senators are unable to reach agreement on government funding, Thune has said he may hold onto the House's budget resolution and use it later in the fall as a way to push the resolution through the Senate over objections. He wants to prevent a federal shutdown when current funds expire, Sept. 30.

“It’s a possibility that, if necessary, we could pull that budget resolution passed by the House and use it to fund government,” Thune said. “I hope that’s not necessary.”

Thune has also clashed with Trump over the president's push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voting. The measure, while popular among Trump's most ardent supporters, does not have enough support among Senate Republicans for passage.

It's already against the law for noncitizens to vote in federal elections and experts warn the proposed new rules could make it more difficult for eligible Americans to cast ballots.

Some Democrats sided with the Republican majority in the 232-198 vote that came as lawmakers prepared to return home and campaign ahead of the midterm elections, with Republicans working to show action on an issue that has become a symbol of voter distrust.

But the breakthrough was tempered by Republican provisions in the bill that would exempt the president from the trading ban and from the inclusion of an unrelated voter identification requirement, drawing opposition from many Democrats. The bill's passage in the Senate remains uncertain.

“This bill, quite simply, is a sham,” Rep. Joe Morelle, a New York Democrat, said on the House floor ahead of the vote. He called the voter identification provision a “poison pill” designed to sink the legislation.

Supporters nevertheless hailed the bill, known as the Stop Insider Trading Act, as the most significant congressional action yet to restrict stock trades by members of Congress.

“I had legislation that would have required divestiture. I preferred that approach,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said. “But you got to build a coalition in a body. And I think this is a giant step forward.”

Rep. Bryan Steil, the Wisconsin Republican who sponsored the legislation, called it “transformational.”

Critics argued the legislation falls well short of a true stock trading ban because it would let lawmakers keep stocks they already own and continue selling them.

Bipartisan support eroded further after Republicans added a requirement that voters present photo identification at the polls, a key element of the SAVE Act, an election measure backed by President Donald Trump that has repeatedly stalled in the Senate.

What is in the Stop Insider Trading Act?

The legislation would prohibit lawmakers, their spouses and dependent children from buying individual stocks while in office. It would let them keep stocks they already own but require public notice at least seven days before selling them. Some investments would be exempt, including interest in a widely held investment fund and certain investments held in a trust.

The bill does not extend to the president or vice president. President Donald Trump disclosed in May that in the first quarter of this year he had made more than 3,600 buy and sell orders, many of them involving companies whose profits have been directly impacted by his decisions as head of the government.

Outside ethics groups said the bill leaves intact the very conflicts it is meant to address by allowing lawmakers to keep existing stock holdings.

The Campaign Legal Center urged Congress to reject the measure, saying it “fails to address the two inherent problems with congressional stock ownership: the appearance of insider trading and members’ ability to profit from their official position.”

Not all Republicans were on board for the stock ban. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who was defeated in a primary earlier this year by a Trump-backed candidate, derided Republicans for inserting the voter identification requirement.

“Republicans added voter-ID in the legislation. Not to get Dems to vote for voter-ID,” Massie wrote in a social media post. “but to get them to vote against the stock trading ban, so they can use it in the Nov. election.”

Stock trading has become a potent campaign issue

Congressional stock trading has become a potent campaign issue as candidates from both parties call for banning the practice. The issue has been a fixture of campaign ads for several years as candidates seek to tap into voters’ distrust of Washington.

Ahead of Wednesday's vote, many Republicans facing tough reelection races lined up to speak in favor of it.

“Banning congressional stock trading is a simple proposition: If you serve the public, you serve only the public,” said New York Rep. Mike Lawler. “You don't get to benefit from the power the people have loaned you. This reform is about fairness.”

Lawmakers have faced ethics scrutiny and, in some cases, criminal investigations over stock trades that critics say benefited from nonpublic information obtained through lawmakers' official duties. Although no broad ban has become law, similar proposals have been introduced for years.

Momentum accelerated last year when Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., launched a discharge petition to force a vote on a congressional stock trading ban that bypassed House Republican leaders.

The Austin, Texas, company reported second-quarter net income of $1.11 billion, or 32 cents per share. That is compared to earnings of $1.17 billion, or 33 cents per share, in the same quarter last year.

Excluding certain charges, earnings were 33 cents per share, down from 40 cents per share in the prior-year quarter. That fell short of the 53 cents per share forecast by Wall Street analysts, according to FactSet.

Revenue rose 26% to $28.24 billion, beating analysts’ forecast of $26.42 billion.

Spending on research and development surged about 49% from a year earlier to $2.37 billion — higher than its been going back at least four quarters.

Tesla shares fell 2.7% to $363.98 in after-hours trading shortly after it released its latest results. The stock ended the regular trading session 1.3% lower and is down just under 17% this year.

Earlier this month, Tesla reported that it delivered 480,216 cars in the second quarter, a 25% increase from the same period last year and its second straight quarterly gain. The sales also exceeded analysts’ expectations, according to a FactSet survey.

Tesla’s improving sales this year mark a big turnaround from a year ago, when many Europeans refused to buy the company’s cars because of Musk’s embrace of far-right political candidates in elections there.

The vast majority of the company’s vehicle deliveries last quarter were comprised of its Model Y crossover SUV and Model 3 sedan. Tesla rolled out less expensive versions of both models last year in hopes of boosting sales. It also cut the cost of leasing and loans in Europe.

Sales were also helped by a surge of EV buying in general in Europe as gas and diesel prices have risen due to the Iran war.

Just a few months ago, Tesla reported sales had fallen in 2025 for a second year in a row and it had to yield its crown as the world’s largest EV maker to China’s BYD.

Tesla's EV sales accounted for most of the company’s overall revenue, but the company got a boost from its energy generation and battery storage business, which posted revenue of $3.14 billion, a 13% gain compared to the second quarter last year.

The company also benefited from increased subscriptions for its driver assistance feature, available in the U.S., called Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

Among the areas that Tesla has been pouring money into is building out the infrastructure and AI software that underpins its robotaxis and robotics businesses, which Musk has said are the future of the company.

Tesla said it has now rolled out its robotaxi service to seven major metro areas in the U.S., and that it it expects production on its Optimus humanoid robot to begin later this year.

The company has also been investing in building new battery factories and in the infrastructure needed to produce its Tesla Semi and Cybercab.

The company noted that it has begun production of the Cybercab at a factory in Texas, and that the Tesla Semi is on track for production this year at a factory in Nevada.

His dream is on the cusp of becoming reality.

A little more than a month after the Indianapolis-based team owner died at 65, his oldest son, Derek, announced Dreyer & Reinbold Racing had purchased one of the series' 25 charters from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The transaction paves the way for DRR to run one full-time car next season for the first time since 2012.

Series officials must still approve the move, though that appears to be little more than a formality.

“There are a lot of emotions today,” Derek Reinbold said Wednesday on a conference call. “Let me just start with my dad because he spent years working towards this moment. He believed this team belonged in the IndyCar Series full-time, and he never stopped building toward that goal. He and I were talking through this charter purchase right up until he went into the hospital. Today is bittersweet. I wish he were on this call with us. But I know exactly how he’d feel today because this was his vision, and we’re really proud to finish what he started.”

The late Reinbold became a regular in Gasoline Alley after co-founding the team in 2000, fielding cars, often multiple cars, in each of the past 27 Indianapolis 500s. During that time, DRR employed nearly three dozen drivers though it reached victory lane only one time — when Robbie Buhl won at Walt Disney World Speedway in January 2000.

The team's top finish at Indianapolis came in 2012 when Oriol Servia was fourth. But following that season, DRR came up short on funding and began cutting back its schedule. From 2013-19, DRR's drivers were limited to one race — Indianapolis.

It appeared there may be an opening for DRR when Sage Karam competed in all four events held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the COVID-19 season in 2020. But the team returned to just one-race seasons from 2021 through Reinbodld's death following a battle with cancer last month.

Now, all indications are that DRR will return to full-time action next year.

“The first transfer of an IndyCar charter is an important milestone for the IndyCar charter system and demonstrates that the system is working as intended," said Mark Miles, the president and CEO of IndyCar's parent company Penske Entertainment. “The charter system provides teams with a valuable asset encouraging their continued investment in the long-term growth of the sport while also providing new ownership groups with a clear pathway into the series. It’s another step in strengthening the long-term foundation of IndyCar.”

Bobby Rahal's team received three of the 25 charters when they were first introduced in 2024, but when it decided to scale back from three full-time cars to two next season, the idea of helping Reinbold's team get back in the mix just seemed like the right thing to do.

“I have always had tremendous respect for Dennis Reinbold, both as a fellow team owner and as a fellow automobile dealer," the 1986 Indy winner said in a statement. “His dedication to IndyCar and the legacy he built over many years earned the respect of everyone in the paddock. Dennis had expressed interest in acquiring a charter from the time the charter program was established, and we had several discussions with him before his passing. We’re pleased we were able to complete this transaction, and we can’t think of a more deserving organization to receive the charter.”

Rahal also said in the statement that he believes a two-car team will better position RLL to “maximize” its competition level and focus on the introduction of a new race car in 2028.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

The National Hurricane Center said Bertha made landfall in the afternoon in St. Bernard Parish, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of New Orleans. At landfall, the storm’s maximum sustained winds were around 45 mph (72 kph).

The wind and storm surge were the main threats for the Deep South states. Parks and piers were closed up and down the coast, as were some low-lying roads. A tropical storm warning stretched from Alabama to Louisiana, including New Orleans where extreme heat was adding to misery.

Tropical storm force winds were felt as much as 160 miles (260 kilometers) from the center of the storm, the National Hurricane Center said. A wind gust of 44 mph (71 kilometers) was recorded at New Orleans Lakefront Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

But the heaviest rains were staying offshore, reducing the risks of flooding, the center said.

The storm will weaken now that it’s reached land and is unlikely to leave behind widespread damage, Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grymes said. The impact should be manageable for coastal communities, he said.

Gov. Jeff Landry called the forecast “encouraging” but also warned residents to be prepared for some flooding.

Storm surges up to 3 feet (1 meter) were possible in Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Rain totals were forecast between 1 and 4 inches (3 to 10 centimeters), with higher amounts possible in isolated areas.

Bertha is expected to maintain tropical storm intensity until it reaches the Texas coast on Thursday, the hurricane center said.

Elsewhere in the U.S., a line of storms on Tuesday generated reports of tornadoes stretching from Cincinnati to New Jersey. Torrential rains caused flash floods that swamped homes, washed out bridges and led to water rescues in West Virginia, authorities said.

Rare combination of tropical storm and heat warnings

Southern Louisiana was under tropical storm and extreme heat warnings for much of Wednesday — a rare double dose of suffering, the National Weather Service said.

It was the first time in at least two decades that’s happened in the area, the weather service said, citing records that date back to 2005.

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic season

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Arthur in June brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern U.S.

Bertha could dump heavy rain on coastal areas of Mississippi that are still recovering from flooding brought by Arthur that destroyed and damaged homes.

Hurricane Fausto in the Pacific is far from land

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Fausto churned far from land Wednesday. The hurricane was hundreds of miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph).

It was forecast to gradually strengthen and the hurricane center said that ocean swells generated by Fausto were spreading along the Baja California coast and likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip tides.

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Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report.

Court documents say that between 2023 and 2025, Theresa Mitchell, 44, conspired with Christopher Buckeridge to produce and sell images and videos showing minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Mitchell sold and distributed the material on social media platforms, messaging apps and subscription-based websites, and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sales, the documents say.

Buckeridge also sent Mitchell hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including material involving prepubescent children.

A federal magistrate judge issued arrest warrants for Mitchell and Buckeridge on March 17. Mitchell was arrested by federal agents in central Pennsylvania on March 19 and remains in custody, the Justice Department said.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce and distribute child pornography, two counts of production of child pornography, one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on the production and conspiracy counts.

The receipt and possession counts and the money-laundering conspiracy count each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.

If sentenced, Mitchell would be required to pay restitution to victims and to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). A U.S. district judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.

The plea was announced by the Justice Department, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Florida and the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office.

The case was put on hold almost immediately after the July 2 indictment, when the Louisiana Supreme Court said the local court and special prosecutor did not follow procedures surrounding the indictment. The dismissal by special prosecutor Laurie White came a day after New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams, Democratic Mayor Helena Moreno and five City Council members sent a letter urging her to drop the case.

“What I did was not a crime, it was never a crime,” said Murrill, a Republican. “I think this was a malicious prosecution.”

At the center of the case are deepening rifts between the state's Republican leaders and Democrats who control Louisiana’s most prominent city.

Orleans Parish online court records show White submitted the letters from the elected city officials and the prosecutor to a judge before dismissing each count. The case against Murrill was then ordered “closed.”

In a prepared statement, White said she performed her lawful duty as a special prosecutor and noted that a grand jury brought the indictment.

White also criticized what she described as interference in the case but did not go into detail.

“Extraordinary interference in this situation has been truly unfortunate, and we should all hope that it doesn’t set a precedent,” White said.

Reached by phone later in the day, White declined further comment.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry had promised a swift pardon, saying Murrill would not have her reputation tarnished by an “Orleans Kangaroo court.”

Appearing with Murrill at a news conference on the state's preparations for Tropical Storm Bertha, Landry said he would welcome state and federal investigations into how and why Murrill was indicted.

“I think the feds need to come in,” Landry said.

Moreno was among those who had accused the state’s top law enforcement official in May of making threats against public officials.

The initial 16-count indictment handed up by a New Orleans grand jury accused Murrill, the state’s first female attorney general, of intimidation and malfeasance.

For months, political tensions intensified between Louisiana Republicans and New Orleans officials over a new law that abolished a court clerk office won by an exoneree, Calvin Duncan, who spent nearly three decades in prison. The change consolidated that job with another clerk’s office, which Republican supporters said would make the local judicial system more efficient.

New Orleans leaders opposed the change. In May, the City Council set a special election that would have given Duncan a chance to win the newly combined job. Murrill responded by warning local officials in letters that they could lose their offices for violating state “usurper” laws, which forbid support for an unauthorized officeholder.

The mayor was among those who had accused the state’s top law enforcement official in May of making threats against public officials.

Murrill said she had merely advised city officials of what the law was and that they had broken it. “I didn’t write that law. The Legislature wrote that law. I just explained it to them.”

Murrill called the indictment a threat of extortion and public intimidation, “to put me in jail for telling them that I'm going to carry out my official duties.”

In their Tuesday letter, the mayor and City Council members said they were not intimidated by Murrill's previous letters.

“While the correspondence at issue contained threatening language directed toward public officials, we never believed those threats could lawfully or practically be carried out. We continue serving the people of New Orleans without hesitation,” the mayor and council members wrote.

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Associated Press reporter Jack Brook contributed to this story.

“I have no ill will toward Coach Kiffin,” Golding said Wednesday at SEC Media Days.

Golding was the up-and-coming defensive coordinator who was asked to pick up the pieces when his old boss, Lane Kiffin, abruptly left for LSU for a seven-year, $91 million deal just as the Rebels were about to embark on their first trip to the College Football Playoff last season.

Partly thanks to the fact that the coach had two of the game's most explosive players in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, Golding racked up two wins, over Tulane and Georgia, and almost a third.

That made Mississippi's decision to give him a five-year contract right after Kiffin's departure look like a stroke of genius. It also gave Golding a spot at the podium in Tampa, where he opened up and became an early favorite to “win” the 38th version of the SEC's annual preseason football gabfest.

“It’s the ex, right? There’s always going to be the history," said Golding, who is married with three children. "Do you have an ex? Are you married? Well, if you do get married and you have an ex that your wife knows about, like, she doesn’t ever end; she’s never dead. She’s always going to get brought up, and so that’s kind of where it is right now. That’s always going to be there a little bit, which is fun to a certain degree.”

Fun, indeed. And it's no sure thing that Ole Miss is going to take a step back from last year's 13-2 record and its trip to the national semifinals just because its celebrity coach, Kiffin, has moved west. (By the way, Ole Miss hosts LSU on Sept. 19.)

Chambliss is returning off a 3,900-yard, 22-touchdown season and a win in court, where he was granted a sixth year of eligibility. Lacy's 73-yard touchdown run in Mississippi's CFP loss to Miami capped a playoff stretch that identified him as a first-tier threat. The Rebels have launched Heisman Trophy campaigns for both.

“You know they’re really good players,” Golding said. “I’m not going to talk to you about that. Y'all already know that.”

Golding flicks away questions about tampering allegations

Golding was equally colorful about tampering, a topic the Rebels were drawn into this offseason when Clemson's Dabo Sweeney accused Ole Miss of unethically luring linebacker Luke Ferelli, who had barely moved from Cal to Death Valley when he suddenly bailed for Mississippi.

Without getting into details of the Ferelli affair — which served as a rare example of a coach calling out another coach for tampering — Golding pointed to one of the key problems about the transfer portal, saying it's only natural a player would want to know he has a place to go before he leaves his current school. Add agents into the mix, who can easily circumvent rules that prohibit contacting the player, and chaos ensues.

“By design it’s put a lot of people in bad positions,” Golding said. “Let’s not act like recruiting in college football for the last 100 years is the most moral thing.”

Golding is a new homeowner and it's Kiffin's old house

When it comes to ethics and morals, though, the conversation down South seems to funnel back to Ole Miss these days. And Golding and Kiffin.

Kiffin's move, the pundits say, showed college sports' money-grubbing opportunistic side at its worst. The much-debated bill circulating in Congress intended to regulate the industry includes what's known as a “Lane Kiffin Rule" that restricts when coaches can leave for new jobs.

It has made for great headlines. Golding's reaction to it — golden, as well. And in a sign that all may truly be forgiven, ESPN reported that not long after Kiffin bailed for Baton Rouge Golding bought his house in Oxford.

He said he and Kiffin text frequently, and there's a friendship there that goes beyond coaching.

“I can separate the two. Some people can’t,” Golding said. "I probably shouldn’t say this, but I don’t care, all right? Like I told an Ole Miss group the other day, ‘In 2021, if you said you could look in 2025 and you’re about to be 11-1 and go to the playoff, would you take it if your coach was leaving?’ Hell yeah. You would. Everybody won from it. It’s OK.”

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Elkhorn coral populations were decimated by a 2023 heat wave and a less severe one in 2024 that left them functionally extinct — meaning remaining colonies are too small and far apart to reproduce in the wild — from Broward County to the Florida Keys, said Diego Lirman, associate professor of marine biology at the University of Miami. Heat causes coral to bleach, which can be fatal if it lasts long enough.

Researchers have been propagating them at coastal nurseries, but decided to bring some ashore now because of indications that 2026 will be “a really bad year” for bleaching — perhaps even worse than 2023, Lirman said. Coral has been showing indications of heat stress as water temperatures rise.

Coral populations are living creatures that form reefs, globally important for seafood production, protecting coastlines from storm surges and tourism. But scientists fear they could be lost because of climate change: Florida coral has experienced four mass bleaching events in the past decade.

“They seem to be blending into each other and corals are not getting time to recover,” Lirman said.

Divers focused Wednesday on collecting genetically diverse coral pieces, wrapping each in wet bubble wrap and placing them in coolers before sanitizing them and putting them in tanks at the hatchery.

The university exchanges coral with other researchers and facilities to preserve as much original genetic diversity as possible in nurseries and in hatcheries, “so if one goes down you don’t lose the last remaining genetic information,” Lirman said.

“You never know: You may have some that are resistant to disease, some that are resistant to temperature, some that are resistant to acidification,” he said. “Once we lose them, then that information is lost.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1%, coming off its best day in three weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 6 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.6%.

Despite the modest moves for indexes, stocks had some big swings underneath the surface. Philip Morris International rallied 3.3% after the seller of Marlboro cigarettes reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected. Its shipments of smoke-free products rose 7.5%.

AT&T climbed 3.5% after reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. CEO John Stankey also said the telecom is accelerating plans to send roughly $10 billion to its shareholders this year through the buybacks of its stock.

Super Micro Computer soared 19.8% after the seller of AI servers said it expects to report stronger profit margins for the latest quarter than it had earlier forecast. It, though, also said that revenue will likely come in at the low end of its forecasted range of $11 billion to $12.5 billion.

On the losing side of the market was GE Vernova, which fell 8.7% after reporting a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Alphabet sank 1.5% ahead of its earnings report, which arrived after trading ended for the day.

Anticipation was high, and not just because the parent company of Google is one of the largest stocks on Wall Street. It’s also one of the biggest spenders on artificial-intelligence technology.

Investors are looking for signs that the deluge of dollars going into processors, computer memory and other building blocks of the AI boom are producing enough profits to make the investments worth it. If Alphabet and other “hyperscalers” say that isn’t the case, stocks of chip companies and other AI winners would look very expensive following their monumental moves higher.

Such worries have kept AI stocks at the center of Wall Street’s swings for weeks, and they helped drag the market up and down Wednesday.

Micron Technology swung between a loss of 3.6% and a gain of 1.2% before finishing with a drop of 1.2%. That’s after it jumped 14.4% in the first two days of this week to reclaim nearly all its 13.3% plunge from the week before. It’s still up 236% for the year so far.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 10.24 points to 7,498.96. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 6.06 to 52,218.58, and the Nasdaq composite sank 146.30 to 25,690.90.

Stocks broadly also felt pressure from continuing climbs for oil prices, which raise costs for most businesses and erode their profits.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 3.4% to $94.07 and briefly topped $95 in the morning to touch its highest level in nearly six weeks. That’s up from less than $72 early this month, which is roughly where it was before the war with Iran.

Rising oil prices are threatening a reacceleration of inflation. That in turn could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.65% from 4.63% late Tuesday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran began. It’s already helped bring long-term U.S. mortgage rates to their highest levels in nearly a year.

Oil prices have climbed as fighting in the Middle East keeps oil tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz to exit the Persian Gulf. Normally, a fifth of all oil and natural gas traded passes through the narrow strait.

The auto club AAA said Wednesday that the average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. jumped again overnight to $4.06. That’s still below highs of around $4.56 per gallon in May, but it had been below $3 before the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

In stock markets abroad, indexes climbed in Europe following a mixed session in Asia.

London’s FTSE 100 rose 1.2%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

The Mountain View, California-based company said Wednesday it earned $112.11 billion, or $9.11 per share, in the April-June period. That's up from $28.2 billion, or $2.31 per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Revenue grew 24% to $119.8 billion from $96.43 billion.

Analysts, on average, were expecting revenue of $117.06 billion, according to a poll by FactSet. Google did not disclose an adjusted earnings figure that's comparable to analysts' expectations, which was $2.88 per share. Google saw a net gain of $98 billion, mainly as a result of gains on its equity investments — mostly in SpaceX, which went public in June.

“Our AI investments are redefining what’s possible across every part of our business,” said CEO Sundar Pichai in a statement.

Emarketer analyst Nate Elliott called the results “impressive,” especially in regards to AI.

“On the consumer side, Gemini is now within a whisker of becoming Google’s third different 1 billion-user consumer AI product, alongside AI Overviews and AI Mode,” he said. "On the enterprise side, AI demand is driving enormous growth in the cloud business. And continued strong growth in search advertising backs up Google’s claim that AI is additive to search, not a replacement.”

As usual, digital ads fueled by Google’s dominant search engine propelled the quarter's revenue growth, boosted by World Cup advertising, especially on YouTube.

The tech giant also saw strong growth in its cloud business, boosted by its AI portfolio consisting of chips, models, data, security, and agent platforms.

Alphabet's shares climbed $2.71 to $344.62 in after-hours trading.

But the greenlight comes with certain conditions.

The European Commission — which serves as the EU's antitrust enforcer — said that even with a Paramount-Warner combo, enough competitors would exist across markets like film production and streaming in its 27-nation bloc. Still, when it comes to distributing movies to theaters, the Commission warned of high concentration that could lead to “worse rental and distribution terms for cinema operators, ultimately disadvantaging consumers.”

To address this, the Commission said Skydance-owned Paramount agreed to end its European Economic Area stake in United International Pictures — a longstanding venture with another major studio, Universal, that Paramount has used to distribute films in theaters outside North America. The company must end that partnership within 13 months of closing its Warner acquisition, the Commission said, and not enter any new agreements with Universal for the next 10 years.

Among other terms, current distribution of Warner films must be shifted to the same pipeline Paramount is using in these European countries. The European Commission said its approval was conditional on the company's commitments and that it would monitor their implementation, without expanding further on how that would be enforced.

Paramount welcomed the EU's greenlight, which it said represented “a major milestone” toward completing its acquisition. In a Wednesday statement, the company added that such clearances reflect how a Paramount-Warner combo “will enhance consumer choice” and create a business with a scale “capable of competing with the tech companies that have come to dominate the industry.”

Universal did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment about Paramount's new film distribution commitments in Europe.

A Paramount-Warner combo would mean putting HBO Max, fan favorite titles like “Harry Potter” and even CNN under the same roof with CBS, “Top Gun” and the Paramount+ streaming service. Beyond movies and streaming, both American companies also own a handful of European-based TV assets — including Warner's TVN Group in Poland, as well as localized channels for flagship Paramount brands like MTV and Nickelodeon.

Ongoing challenge from US states

The EU's blessing marks the latest in a chain of regulatory clearances inching the merger closer to becoming a reality, but the deal faces other challenges. In the U.S., a federal judge on Monday ordered the companies to pause their transaction for at least two weeks.

That spans from a lawsuit brought forth by California and 11 other states seeking to block Paramount and Warner's merger altogether — on the grounds such a tie-up would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers in the U.S.

Paramount has called the states’ claims meritless. And the company reiterated that on Wednesday — saying findings from the EU's approval “directly refute key assumptions that underpin the state AGs’ complaint,” particularly when it comes to competition from newer or smaller film studios.

Either way, the deal is set to be halted until at least a preliminary injunction hearing, currently slated for Aug. 3. When granting the temporary restraining order earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said states had made a strong case about a combined Paramount-Warner’s potential to “substantially lessen competition” and that the merger would be “difficult, if not impossible, to unwind” without a pause.

Other regulatory clearances

In contrast to the states' case, the Trump administration's U.S. Justice Department said it wouldn’t block the deal — and instead released a lengthy statement in support, maintaining a Paramount-Warner combo would bring "benefits for American consumers and workers.”

Paramount says it's also received regulatory clearances from countries like Australia, China and Canada. Other reviews remain in progress — including from the U.K., which has separately suggested it may intervene.

The clock is ticking. The company has pledged to start paying Warner shareholders added “ticking fee” compensation amounting to about $7 million per day if the deal isn’t closed by Sept. 30.

Including debt, Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner is valued at nearly $111 billion based on current outstanding shares.

Beyond central antitrust reviews, regulators in Europe have also effectively approved of the billions of dollars in financial backing Paramount has secured from three Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In regulatory filings, Paramount has maintained that these sovereign funds will not have any voting rights. Still, critics have sounded the alarm about what their money could mean in terms behind the scenes influence.

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“I just remember being taught that area was kind of dangerous, in the sense of there being steep slopes” and a quick drop-off into the river, he told The Associated Press. A few years earlier, Martin had warned a pair of young people playing in the water at that same spot to “be very careful.”

He saw five adults in the water and two children playing on the grassy bank nearby, tracking the description of the group provided by Delaware County authorities after the drownings.

Pastor may have taken ‘the last picture’ of the group

Martin and his family floated away to enjoy a beautiful summer evening. But when they returned past the spot about two hours later and saw the group still wading in the river, Martin thought to snap a photo.

“I don't know what it was. I said, I just need to capture this picture,” he said.

Martin said he knows the area well from 10 years of boating there and considered warning the people of the potential danger. But, unlike when he'd warned the two people earlier, there were two or three boats between him and them and he didn't want to cross between them and cause too many waves in the water.

He's been losing sleep over the decision since news broke of five people drowning that afternoon. It feels “surreal,” he said.

“I believe the picture I took may have been the last picture of them being alive,” he said.

The image didn't catch authorities' initial interest

Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer has said authorities believe one of the adults began struggling to swim and the others successively went to that person's aid. All five were swept under and died. The two women’s bodies were recovered Sunday and the three other bodies a day later.

Neither Balzer's office nor the local EMS agency immediately responded to requests for verification of the photo and those who appear in it.

Martin said he feels certain the group he photographed is of the five people who perished Sunday; it's rare to see people fishing or swimming in that stretch of the river. He said he attempted to share the picture with both law enforcement and a news reporter at the scene the day after the drownings, but no one seemed interested.

Honduran authorities confirmed Tuesday that four of the five adults were Honduran citizens. One was Jose Mario Pineda Dias, 33, another his wife Marina Suyapa Regalado, 28. Pineda was from the department of Lempira and Suyapa from the department of Cortés, according to Flabia Zamora, director of consular affairs at the Honduran Foreign Ministry.

The names of the other couple and the fifth individual would be released once their families could be notified of their deaths, a spokesperson for Balzer said Wednesday.

U.S., Honduras still working to identify victims, help children

A Honduran embassy said the government is in contact with the victims' families and assisting local authorities in verifying their identities. In a statement, it added that Honduras stands ready to repatriate any of the victims should relatives request that — a process that could take six weeks.

An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, children of one of the couples, were orphaned by the tragedy. A boy shouting for his mother was spotted by a passing driver on the day of the accident and reported to 911.

Scott Varner, a spokesman for Franklin County Children Services, said the youngsters have been in the agency's care since Monday and that they are working with relatives and family friends in Columbus who are providing them with a temporary home. The children were provided with therapy dogs as they coped with the trauma, he said.

The Honduran embassy statement said the consulate has checked in with family members about their well-being and stands ready to help once relatives make a decision on next steps for the children.

Kimberly Williams, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.

Fake paystubs used to secure fraudulent loans

Court documents show Williams, a co-conspirator and others conspired to create and execute a mortgage fraud scheme directed at financial institutions.

To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers obtained mortgage loans, Williams created fictitious paystubs that falsely indicated borrowers worked at specific companies for certain periods of time and earned income they did not actually make. Williams received payments from the co-conspirator in exchange for creating the fraudulent documents.

The fraudulent mortgage loans were later purchased and guaranteed by government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Housing Administration.

National Fraud Enforcement Division

The case comes amid a broader federal push to combat financial crimes. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, whose mission is to investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.

Ramírez was activated from the injury list on Wednesday after the seven-time All-Star third baseman missed five weeks following left hand surgery. Cleveland stayed near the top of the AL Central while he was out, a testament to the young club's depth and resolve.

It wasn't easy.

“The last five weeks could have been a lot different, and it wasn’t,” manager Stephen Vogt said. "We kept our heads above water. You can use all the cliches you want, but we did not let the last five weeks determine the rest of our season.

“We had some low points. We had some high points, some in between. But really proud of what this group did over the last five weeks and we’ve got a lot of work left.”

Ramírez had been sidelined since getting hurt against Detroit on June 13 and having an operation to remove the hamate bone in his left hand.

The Guardians managed to stay afloat without Ramírez, going 15-15 and keeping pace with the division leaders. Cleveland entered Wednesday's game against Minnesota in a virtual tie for first place with the Chicago White Sox.

Ramírez is in the starting lineup, batting second and playing third in Wednesday's game.

Ramírez did not go on a minor league rehab assignment before being activated. The Guardians trusted him throughout his recovery. He had a similar injury to his right hand in 2019, the only other time he’s been on the injured list.

“Hosey's about winning,” Vogt said. “He’s not going to come back if he doesn’t believe that he can help us win. So it’s full trust in him, full trust in the medical staff. Everybody is on board with him being back in there today.”

Vogt said he would hold Ramírez back a little at the start.

“There’s going to be some limitations for him at first, but we’re going to be thoughtful about how much he plays, when he plays, things of that nature,” Vogt said. “But he’s done a great job of getting his body ready, which is most important and the wrist is feeling good.”

To make room for Ramírez, the Guardians optioned outfielder Kahlil Watson to Triple-A Columbus.

The 33-year-old Ramírez, who owns numerous offensive club records, was batting .239 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 72 games before getting hurt. The Guardians aren't the same without him in the lineup, and his mere presence should help a team that has struggled to score.

Watson played well in his stint with Guardians, batting .239 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 27 games. On Tuesday night, he made a game-ending leaping catch down the right-field line while crashing into the padded wall.

Vogt said Watson's contributions made his demotion a difficult decision.

“Khalil handled it like a true pro,” Vogt said. "He understood clearly. Not happy. No one wants to leave, but just the messaging was you came here when we needed you and you helped us. We saw an unbelievably talented player with Khalil Watson.

“He’s going to help us win a ton of games for a long time. It’s just not his time right now.”

Along with Ramírez, the Guardians could soon have outfielder Angel Martinez back as well. He's been out since June 13 with a non-displaced fracture when he fouled a pitch off his left foot. Martinez is on a rehab assignment at Columbus and appears on the brink of being activated.

Vogt said Martinez will play nine innings on Wednesday and be re-evaluated.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Speaking at a health summit in Ghana on Wednesday, Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said 1,031 deaths have been confirmed.

“These are people dying. They are dying because we don’t have vaccines, we don’t have medicine, we don’t have funding,” he added.

The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health showed that as of Monday, 2,473 cases had been recorded in the latest outbreak. At least 737 patients were in isolation or hospitalized, it said.

The outbreak, which was declared on May 15, is unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments. It has also killed more people at a faster rate than any outbreak on record, including the 2013-2016 outbreak that is considered the worst on record with over 11,000 deaths out of at least 28,000 cases. That outbreak took about eight months from the first case to reach 1,000 deaths.

Conflict and community resistance are complicating the response

The World Health Organization has said the true scale of the outbreak could be ⁠two to four times larger than official figures indicate. Some communities at its epicenter also remain difficult to reach, mainly because of fighting involving rebel groups.

Ebola is rare, but highly contagious and can be contracted through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. It can cause severe illness and is often fatal.

Officials have warned that 80% of new cases have emerged outside known chains of transmission, a sign the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track it even as they step up their response in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, and four other provinces where cases have been recorded.

Community resistance to Ebola teams, particularly those carrying out safe burials, has also hampered the response. Robert Ndjalonga, head of civil protection in Ituri province, said some communities have refused to allow burial teams to operate because they prefer traditional burials, increasing the risk of further transmission.

“The biggest challenge remains resistance from or outright refusal by some communities to accept response teams," Ndjalonga said. "On several occasions, burial teams have had to be escorted by security forces to ensure that safe and dignified burials could be carried out without incident.”

Shortages of burial supplies have delayed responses to reported deaths, while some affected health zones still lack operational burial teams, Ndjalonga said.

Attacks on health facilities and response teams have also forced front-line workers and aid groups out of some areas. Some health workers have gone on strike, saying they haven’t been paid since the outbreak started.

A member of a team carrying out safe Ebola burials was recently injured when assailants threw stones at the team’s vehicle following a burial in Bunia last week, according to provincial civil protection authorities.

The attack highlighted the challenges facing the response in eastern Congo. In Ituri’s Irumu territory, the local military administrator recently described Ebola as a greater threat than the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces insurgency and urged residents to support, rather than attack, health workers.

Containment efforts are faltering

A humanitarian worker involved in the response, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, cited poor coordination between response agencies, delays in transferring patients to treatment centers and waits of more than four days for some Ebola test results.

“At times, it’s unclear who is doing what and where,” the worker said.

The delays have led some patients to leave health facilities before they can be diagnosed, increasing the risk of further transmission, the worker said.

Africa CDC head Kaseya called for intensified efforts to slow the outbreak on the first day of the health summit in Ghana Tuesday.

“If we do not stop this outbreak today, it could become one of the worst Ebola outbreaks the world has ever documented,” Kaseya said.

Less than 9% of the contacts of confirmed patients who are expected to be traced are currently being monitored, far below the level needed to contain the outbreak, according to Africa CDC. More than 60% of deaths are occurring in the community before patients can receive care.

Pierre Akilimali, the Ebola response incident manager at the National Public Health Institute of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said the high number of community deaths suggests many infections are not being detected or isolated in time, allowing the virus to continue spreading.

Experts warn of a worsening crisis

Last month, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used computer modeling to estimate how the outbreak could evolve. In a worst-case scenario, they said it could approach the scale of the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic.

“There’s never been an Ebola outbreak that started with so many cases because it was so late to be identified,” said Trish Newport, emergency program manager for Doctors Without Borders, who has been working in Congo.

“It’s like the outbreak is outrunning the response,” Newport said.

University of Pittsburgh epidemiologist Dr. Jean Nachega, who is advising African health authorities, said he does not expect the outbreak to reach the CDC’s worst-case scenario but cautioned that the challenges remain “huge.”

___

Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Constant Same Bagalwa in Bunia, Congo, Mike Stobbe in New York and Naa Adorkor Cudjoe in Accra, Ghana, contributed.

They equaled the 1946 American League champs, who were led by future Hall of Famer Ted Williams.

Jarren Duran had a two-run triple and a sacrifice fly, and Caleb Durbin — who hit a tiebreaking homer when they posted their 14th straight victory on Monday — chipped in with a two-run single.

Ceddanne Rafaela added a solo home run for Boston in a makeup from Tuesday’s rainout.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a solo homer for Baltimore, his second in two games.

Red Sox rookie left-hander Jake Bennnett (6-3) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs — one coming on a sun-aided RBI double by Tyler O’Neill — on nine hits.

He took a 102.8 mph liner off the stomach from Taylor Ward in the fifth, but remained in the game after being checked by a trainer, interim manager Chad Tracy and first baseman Willson Contreras, who appeared to make him breath while telling him to lift his arms.

Aroldis Chapman got the final three outs for his 23rd save and 390th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley for ninth all-time.

The Red Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Dean Kremer (1-3) in the first on Durbin’s line single and Duran’s two-out hit.

Encarnacion-Strand hit his homer into the batter’s eye to make it 5-2 in the fourth but Rafaela hit his over the Green Monster in the bottom half.

Kremer lasted six innings, allowing six runs.

Up next

Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (6-9, 3.61 ERA) is set to start the nightcap.

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rivera (0-0, 2.89 ) will start the second game.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

What the lawsuit was about

The FTC alleged Amazon enrolled tens of millions of customers in Prime subscriptions without their knowledge or consent and made it intentionally difficult to cancel those subscriptions.

Under the settlement, Amazon is required to pay $1.5 billion in refunds to affected customers, pay a $1 billion civil penalty and cease its unlawful enrollment and cancellation practices.

Who is eligible

You may be eligible for a refund if you meet all three of the following requirements:

• You are an Amazon Prime customer in the United States.
• You signed up for Amazon Prime through a “challenged enrollment flow” — which includes the universal Prime decision page, shipping selection page, single page checkout or the Prime Video enrollment flow — or you tried to cancel through the online cancellation flow but were unable to do so between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025.
• You used no more than three Amazon Prime benefits — including Prime Music or Prime Video — in any 12-month period following enrollment.

Customers do not need to determine on their own whether they signed up through a challenged enrollment flow. Amazon will complete that analysis.

How much you could receive

Eligible Prime customers may receive a refund of their Amazon Prime subscription fees, up to a maximum of $51.

How refunds are being issued

Amazon issued refunds in two stages. Automatic refunds were sent to eligible customers in November and December 2025. Beginning in January 2026, Amazon started sending claim notices — by mail or email — to eligible customers who did not receive an automatic refund.

Payments for the claims process are expected in late 2026, though Amazon has not yet announced a specific mailing date.

How to collect your payment

Customers who receive a claim notice can choose to receive their payment by check, PayPal or Venmo by following the instructions on their claim form.

Customers who did not previously receive an automatic payment have until July 27 to submit a claim.

For help with a claim form or payment, contact Amazon at admin@SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com. For more information, visit www.SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com.

The OIG conducted a procurement and safety compliance review evaluating more than $30 million in public food services funds managed by DCPS. Investigators found the district consistently authorized commercial kitchen renovations, heavy mechanical utility upgrades and electrical installations districtwide — without obtaining required construction permits under the State Requirements for Educational Facilities, known as SREF, of the Florida Building Code.

Under Florida law, Section 453 of the SREF establishes mandatory statewide standards that apply to all public educational facilities and supersede all conflicting local building codes. Those protocols require mandatory plan reviews, separate trade permitting for building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas work, and formal safety inspections before any facility is used by students and staff.

How the investigation unfolded

The OIG launched its formal review Sept. 17, 2025, focusing on SREF construction permits within DCPS Food Services projects. Analysts requested all food service permits issued by Code Enforcement since Jan. 1, 2021, and cross-referenced kitchen labor contracts and purchase orders against historical permit logs.

The analysis flagged multiple high-value projects that should have triggered SREF permits but lacked any corresponding documentation. Investigators then sought formal interviews with key DCPS leadership — including the Executive Director for Facilities, the Director of Code Enforcement, a Building Code Inspector and an Electrical Code Inspector. DCPS legal counsel later informed the OIG that the Executive Director for Facilities had resigned from the district.

In October 2024, before the formal review began, the OIG and the Jacksonville Fire Marshal had already conducted an onsite inspection at Westside Middle School following significant renovations. That inspection revealed numerous potential SREF violations, helping lay the groundwork for the broader review.

What investigators found in the schools

On Dec. 17, 2025, OIG personnel conducted joint site visits with DCPS Code Enforcement at San Pablo Elementary and Neptune Beach Elementary. At both campuses, investigators found custom, unpermitted serving lines.

At San Pablo Elementary, the team uncovered a brand-new commercial range hood — an asset that Code Enforcement personnel had no record, memory or documentation of ever inspecting.

Between Jan. 23 and Jan. 27, 2026, investigators visited the Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) at Eugene J. Butler and North Shore Elementary, where they discovered severe unpermitted electrical and structural deficiencies. Inspectors found exposed, raw utility wiring, open electrical junctions and completely uninsulated floor connections running beneath newly installed cafeteria serving lines. At Eugene J. Butler, flexible utility hoses and power cables were found resting directly on kitchen floor tiles — creating both a tripping hazard and a risk of being crushed or disconnected if the equipment is moved.

On Feb. 2, 2026, Code Enforcement personnel made a key admission to the OIG: the contractor responsible for the North Shore Elementary serving lines was “absolutely required” to obtain permits. Management conceded that the vendor’s work should have undergone a full inspection under Section 453 protocols.

Despite that admission, the OIG sent follow-up inquiries to Code Enforcement on March 17, 2026, regarding the outstanding hazardous defects at San Pablo and North Shore. No response was received. A follow-up on March 30, 2026, confirmed that staff had still not returned to North Shore Elementary, leaving the unpermitted defects active and uncorrected.

Nearly $1 million spent at one school — twice

The investigation also raised procurement red flags at North Shore Elementary, where DCPS paid nearly $1 million to a single contractor for cafeteria serving line installations over two consecutive years — neither of which was permitted or inspected.

In September 2021, Aptitude Associates Inc. of Riverview, Florida, was contracted to install custom serving lines at North Shore for approximately $499,272. Less than a year later, in September 2022, Aptitude Associates was contracted again at the same school for approximately $372,480 — bringing the combined total to more than $871,000.

Both projects were flagged for being completed without required SREF permits. Field inspections later confirmed the serving lines installed under Purchase Order No. 4523001598 — the 2022 contract — contained the severe electrical deficiencies described above. Notably, the serving lines at North Shore were also reported to be too tall for elementary school students.

DCPS did not respond to the OIG’s report within the required 10-business-day window.

What the OIG recommends

The OIG is calling for immediate action on several fronts. Among its key recommendations:

• Safety sweeps of all food service facilities modified since 2021
• Financial controls requiring proof of a verified SREF permit before procurement can release project funds or close out purchase orders
• Contractor performance evaluations to assess whether Aptitude Associates and other involved vendors violated SREF statutory mandates — and whether debarment from future district contracts is warranted
• Formal disciplinary reviews for administrative personnel who authorized renovations outside statutory requirements

View the full report below:

We’ve reached out to DCPS for comment on the newly released report. We will update this story once we receive a response.

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RELATED: Bunnell man accused of stabbing wife to death said one comment pushed him over the edge: police

After a two-day sentencing hearing, the jury voted 11-1 in favor of the death penalty.

After a two-day trial, the 12-member jury — 10 women and two men — deliberated about 20 minutes before finding Williams guilty, according to a July 17 press release from the Office of the State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.

Surveillance video and testimony showed Williams went into his home, returned with an approximately eight-inch chef’s knife and attacked his wife, Yolonda Charmaine Williams, 50, in the street outside the couple’s Bunnell home, the office said.

She was stabbed about 19–20 times, taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries. A 14-year-old son witnessed the attack and tried to intervene, and the defendant’s father — who lives nearby — held Jermaine Williams at gunpoint until he stepped away from the victim, officials said.

Jermaine Williams told detectives he retrieved the knife from the kitchen and stabbed his wife multiple times, and that a comment she made “pushed him over the edge,” the prosecutor’s office said. Records show Jermaine Williams was on probation for charges stemming from a 2022 domestic violence incident involving his wife.

“One step closer to making justice a reality for Yolanda Williams, her family and the citizens of the 7th Circuit,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said after the recommendation was read. “We will continue our pursuit of the death penalty in this case and our support for the victim’s family.”

“Today’s proceedings are about far more than a criminal conviction and penalty. They are about Yolanda Williams, a beautiful life taken through an unimaginable act of violence. On behalf of every member of the Bunnell Police Department, I extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Williams’ family, friends and everyone who loved her,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon added. “This conviction reflects countless hours of dedicated work by the members of the Bunnell Police Department, alongside our partners at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney, whose professionalism, collaboration and commitment to justice ensured the defendant was held fully accountable under the law. While we cannot erase the pain caused by this senseless crime, we honor Yolanda Williams by protecting our community and standing with our victims.”

Although the jury makes this recommendation, the final sentencing decision will be up to The Honorable Dawn Nichols, who will pronounce sentence after another hearing at a later date.

The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

The autopsy report, he said, showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells' skull as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."

Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island's coast.

In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.

Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.

Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.

The Mississippi medical examiner, which has not released the results of the state autopsy, did not return a message seeking comment.

The second autopsy was paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, whose group Know Your Rights Camp has paid for other independent autopsies.

“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.

The still-unknown circumstances around Wells’ death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.

A reward of $125,000 — jointly funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.

The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.

He questioned why Wells’ friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.

“The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we’re looking at the history in Mississippi,” Sharpton added. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.

“We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can,” Crump said. “But it’s always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever.”

___

An earlier version of this report had an incorrect first name for the forensic pathologist. He's Dr. Roger Mitchell, not Robert Mitchell.

Ben Rice tied the score with his 30th home run, a three-run drive in the seventh inning off Carmen Mlodzinski.

Triolo and Mangum drove in runs off Cruz (4-4), who allowed two hits and two walks while getting just one out.

Mason Montgomery (3-3) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Gregory Soto got three straight outs for his 13th save in 18 chances.

Cole retired his first 14 batters before allowing Nick Gonzales' single and Jacob Gonzalez's two-run homer. Nick Gonzales added a solo homer in the seventh off Cole, who in his previous start gave up Max Muncy's two-run, eighth-inning homer that lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win.

Cole struck out 11, his most since Aug. 25, 2023, and extended his Yankees record for double-digit strikeouts games with 29. He allowed three runs and four hits with no walks.

Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller gave up three hits in five scoreless innings.

New York went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

Yankees hitting coach James Rowson was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing after José Caballero was called for a pitch clock violation for not for engaging Mlodzinski with more than eight seconds remaining. Caballero took an inning-ending called strike and Yankees manager Aaron Boone continued arguing with plate umpire Quinn Wolcott during the break.

Brent Headrick struck out the side in the eighth and extended his home scoreless streak to 35 innings, the longest for the Yankees since Allie Reynolds' 36 innings rom Sept 16, 1953, to June 2, 1954, according to STATS.

Up Next

New York LHP Max Fried (4-3) and Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77) were to start the night game.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The president saluted as four transfer cases carrying the service members' remains were escorted off an airplane during the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base. The ritual is one of the most somber duties of a commander in chief. It was the third that Trump has attended since he launched the war in Iran in February.

Speaking at an event in Georgia hours later, Trump described the ritual as “the toughest thing I do.”

“I’ve been there many times before," he said of Dover. “This was, in particular, something very sad.”

Earlier in the day, Trump said his message to families was simple: “We love you. We love your child," Trump told reporters.

Trump was accompanied at the dignified transfer by administration officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Also present were Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.

During the ritual, transfer cases draped with the American flag and holding the remains of the fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that transported them to awaiting vehicles to take them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the service members are prepared for their final resting place.

Fallen troops came from Hawaii, Texas, New York and North Carolina

Two U.S. Army soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan were returned during the dignified transfer. The remains of a third service member who is believed to be the soldier missing after the Jordan attacks were also returned, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in Iraq during a detonation of an Iranian drone.

The soldiers killed in Jordan were identified by the Defense Department as Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. The soldier who disappeared after the Jordan attacks is Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, the Defense Department said.

The soldier killed in Iraq was identified as Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, who lived in Spring Lake, North Carolina.

Trump said Feehan's family accepted an invitation to join him on Air Force One on Wednesday as he traveled to an event in Georgia, where the family lives. Speaking at the event in Marietta, Trump described Feehan as a “flawless” person who was “going all the way — he was going to be a general.”

“We will carry Tyler's memory in our hearts forever, and I just want to thank you," he told Feehan’s parents during his remarks. “It’s an honor to have you here today.”

Trump previously said the soldiers died while protecting America and other nations from Iran.

“We feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting so that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. He added that the U.S. was striking Iran “in honor” of the fallen troops.

Trump vows to retaliate for each US death

The U.S. has launched multiple retaliatory strikes against Iran as an interim agreement to end the war falls apart. Trump on Monday said that every time Iran kills an American soldier, “they will pay for that killing many times over!”

Since the war began on Feb. 28, 18 U.S. service members have been killed.

Trump on Tuesday said that while almost all the incoming fire in Jordan was stopped, some made it through.

“They did slip something through in Jordan,” he said. “If we had other operators, you know, it would have not happened, unfortunately.” He added that "we let other people do the job — and sometimes it doesn’t work out so well.”

Trump did not elaborate on his comments, and it was not immediately clear who he was saying was responsible for protecting U.S. forces in Jordan.

Trump attended two previous dignified transfers since the outset of the war, most recently in March.

Soldier had planned to marry fiance and attend law school

Feehan, a first lieutenant who was killed Saturday, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. He was assigned out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Feehan’s family said in a statement that their hearts were shattered by his loss. They remembered Feehan, who went by “Tivo,” as someone who “packed in more living” in his 25 years than most do in a lifetime.

“He chased adventure relentlessly,” the statement said. “He believed deeply in the power of military service, especially what it builds in a person: discipline, leadership, character.”

He planned to marry his fiance and attend law school after his deployment. The family said they’re starting a scholarship in his name.

Gonzales, who was killed Friday, was a private with the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany. She graduated last year from Hebron High School in Carrollton, near Dallas, school officials said.

Rampersad, a sergeant who was believed to have been killed in Friday's attacks, was assigned to the 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany.

In a brief statement, Rampersad’s family called her a “gentle giant” who “stood up for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.”

“She loved her family fiercely and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched,” the statement said.

Deonne Jinkins, 22, a friend, said Rampersad “loved deeply, cared genuinely, and always made people feel seen and important.”

Swinton, a sergeant who was killed Sunday, will receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and will be promoted to staff sergeant. He enlisted in the Army in 2017 and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

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Binkley reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Michael Catalini in Morrisville, Pa., and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed to this report.

That work was far from done when a new round of storms began pummeling the state this week, triggering catastrophic flash floods in some of the same areas devastated in 2025. At least two people died. Hundreds needed rescue.

But residents in some hard-hit areas said a year of preparation did make a difference. Newly installed flood sirens sounded in the darkness, warning people to get out. Phones buzzed with alerts that weren't sent out in last year's disaster.

Still, stories of people surprised to find their homes inundated by rising rivers illustrate the challenges of trying to bolster early warning systems in a vast, rural area known as Flash Flood Alley.

Some agencies were more proactive about sending wireless alerts

Over the last decade, a variety of Texas state and local agencies missed opportunities to implement flood warning systems along the Guadalupe River, the AP reported after last summer’s floods killed 136 people, including 28 at a sleepaway camp for girls.

That changed after the tragedy as lawmakers and others scrutinized a lack of preparedness by government agencies and riverside camps.

Unlike last summer, when local officials in Kerr County said they had been reluctant to “cry wolf” and order evacuations and failed to send out wireless alerts to warn of flash floods, Kerr County issued four alerts and the city of Kerrville issued one early on Thursday as the risk for flooding became apparent, according to an Associated Press review of available data.

They warned residents along Quinlan Creek to evacuate to higher ground, and of “extremely dangerous” flash flooding. Those alerts came alongside flood watches, warnings and emergencies sent to broadcast outlets, weather radios and mobile phones by the National Weather Service. People who signed up for the CodeRED notification emergency system in Kerr County also received text message warnings.

“Last year, we got no alarms. We had no idea what was going on,” said Suzanne Sutphin Gschwind, of Kerrville.

“This year, very different,” she said, with multiple texts and calls coming in from local authorities, a weather channel and her doorbell camera. One night the warnings arrived “about every two hours.”

“I think we would all like to err on the side of too much,” she said.

The warnings didn't reach everyone

Between the early morning hours of Tuesday and about 9 a.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service sent 38 alerts to people in certain southwest Texas communities, including 14 tornado warnings and 24 warnings that flooding was occurring or imminent and could be “life threatening.”

Those Weather Service notifications, though, often don’t contain the highly localized information put in alerts sometimes sent by municipal and county emergency agencies — and people in some places may not have gotten any of those local alerts, which can be more decisive for people considering whether to seek high ground.

An Associated Press review of wireless emergency alert data did not find any listed as sent by agencies in Uvalde County, which was hit hard by flooding, though agencies in that county might have used other means to alert the public.

Jaclyn Gonzales was awakened at 2 a.m. Wednesday by a friend who called to warn that a tornado might be headed toward her Uvalde-area home. When she jumped out of bed, the floor was wet.

“It was the shock of the water to my feet that made me really wake up,” she said.

Kat Sprawls only learned floodwaters were nearing her Batesville home when a friend called her at 3:30 a.m. Friday. It took five or six calls before she woke up, because she had her phone on do-not-disturb mode.

“There's no warning system at all. It's just like the flood in Kerrville last year — we had no warnings,” Sprawls said. “Over half of Batesville is under water now."

Zavala County Sheriff's Department secretary Jessica Belmarez said the department is updating its Facebook page with evacuation information and that law enforcement officers were going door-to-door in affected areas, including Batesville.

The network of flood sirens is expanding

Newly installed sirens in Ingram and in Kerr and Kendall counties were used this week to warn residents, said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who authored legislation in 2025 to help fund the sirens. Twenty-eight additional counties are also eligible for flood warning funding. Most are in the process of putting together implementation plans for review by the Texas Water Development Board.

“Between the outdoor sirens, and the cellphone alerts, the response was very positive in getting people out of the way and to higher ground,” Bettencourt said. “It’s an enormous improvement over a year ago.”

Three of six new sirens installed in Kerr County were used to warn people to seek high ground, said Tara Bushnoe, manager of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority. The other three were in areas with only minor flooding, Bushnoe said.

The small town of Comfort had one warning siren for years. The volunteer fire department recently installed two more.

“Some people just don’t want to leave — that’s our problem here,” said Danny Morales, the assistant fire chief. “But we did set them off twice, probably an hour from one to another, just because we had people just lingering, and not wanting to move."

Private companies are working to fill the gaps

Ian Cunningham founded River Sentry after the 2025 floods, building flood siren towers for privately owned sites like RV parks, camps and hotels. The sirens are triggered by rising water levels.

So far, the company has installed 104 sirens along the Guadalupe River, Cunningham said, including several near the site of an RV park where more than three dozen people died in 2025.

“We installed them about three months ago and did not expect them to be used so soon,” Cunningham said.

Hohonu, which has developed water-level sensor technology and a real-time data network, received a state contract that will make it easier for agencies to purchase its flood warning technology.

Watch Duty, a fire-tracking app used by millions, expanded earlier this year to help monitor floods.

Officials say the changes saved lives

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the lessons of 2025 led to a better emergency response this time.

“Everybody in Texas has been far more prepared to deal with what has happened this year,” Abbott said during a news conference in Uvalde. “Lives have been saved.”

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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Hohonu.

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Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle in Dallas, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Jesse Bedayn in Uvalde, Texas, contributed to this report.

Luminate, the industry data and analytics company that provides insight into changing behaviors across music listenership, examined streams of each song performed by each musician two days before the final (Friday and Saturday) and compared those figures to the final and the day afterward (Sunday and Monday.)

They found:

1. Global streams of Justin Bieber's “Everything Hallelujah” more than doubled, rising 110% from 592,000 streams to 1.25 million.

2. Global streams of Madonna's “Music” rose 66%, from 193,000 streams to 321,000.

3. BTS' “Dynamite” also grew in terms of global streams, from 2.14 million to 3.05 million for an increase of 43%.

4. And Shakira and Burna Boy's official anthem for the 2026 World Cup, “Dai Dai,” also saw a slight bump for an addition of 3.48 million new global streams. That's a 24% increase, from 14.78 million to 18.27 million. In the U.S. alone, streams of “Dai Dai” rose 52%, from 1.68 million streams to 2.55 million.

Luminate also found that the aforementioned artists only saw considerable jumps in the songs they performed on the field last weekend as opposed to their full catalogs. That phenomenon is more common for Super Bowl halftime performers.

Take Bad Bunny for example: After his record-breaking performance this year, streams of his catalog jumped 175% in the U.S. on the day after the Super Bowl, when compared to the previous Monday.

More high school football

Nease High School football media stop

Ed White football media stop

Florida team-by-team high school football schedules

Florida weekly schedules for 2026 season

South Georgia team schedules for 2026 season

South Georgia weekly schedules for 2026 season

The 24-year-old Beck looks as if he’ll be part of a three-man quarterback competition when training camp begins on Thursday, facing off against veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. Kedon Slovis is also on the roster. The Cardinals are led by first-year coach Mike LaFleur.

Beck was drafted in the third round out of Miami after leading the Hurricanes to a runner-up finish in the College Football Playoff last season.

The Cardinals have now signed all of the players in their most recent draft class.

Also on Wednesday, the team announced it signed defensive lineman Coziah Izzard and placed rookie defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor on injured reserve. Proctor injured his knee during offseason workouts.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

18. Camden Tietze

Position/school: WR/Bolles.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-1, 180.

Recruiting: Committed to Marshall.

Why he’s here: A Rivals/On3 three-star prospect who came on strong during his first season with the Bulldogs. Had 35 catches for 689 yards and 11 TDs playing alongside electric playmaker Naeem Burroughs. Will open this season as the No. 1 target for QB Luke Toland. As a sophomore at Ponte Vedra, had 599 yards receiving and seven TDs.

19. Aiden Phifer

Position/school: QB/Nease.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-0, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Northwestern.

Why here’s here: Phifer burst on the scene last year by passing for 2,003 yards and 20 TDs. He was a threat to break off a run, too. Phifer scored nine rushing TDs. He did it by going 9-3 against a tough schedule that included powerhouse Buchholz (twice), St. Augustine and Oakleaf. A Rivals/On3 three-star recruit, Phifer should continue to ascend as a dual-threat QB.

19. Julius LaRosa III

Position/school: DL/ University Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 260.

Recruiting: Committed to NC State.

Why here’s here: A multiyear force on the defensive line for the Christians, he’s got 24 career sacks and 43.5 tackles for loss. Recovered two fumbles and blocked a punt last year. Had 59 tackles last season and is up to 171 for his career. A consensus three-star recruit by the four major recruiting services and a top 140 player in Florida by those outlets.

21. Kindrid Outland

Position/school: DL/Mandarin.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 270.

Recruiting: Committed to USF.

Why here’s here: He was all over the field last year for the Mustangs, earning a second-team All-News4JAX selection after racking up 62 tackles, 21 for loss, and 5.5 sacks. A three-star recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals/On3, Outland has serious muscle and pocket-busting interior presence.

22. Kyree Wilson

Position/school: ATH/University Christian.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-0, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Toledo.

Why he’s here: Wilson has thrived as the No. 1 player at a small school (Christ’s Church) where he racked up 3,019 rushing yards and 32 TDs and added 74 combined tackles during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Wilson, a Rivals three-star prospect, spent his junior year at Mandarin in a two-back system and absolutely scorched teams when given the opportunity (9.1 yards per carry). He’s got 3,807 career rushing yards and 38 rushing TDs, and could join the exclusive 5,000-yard rushing club with a strong season. Factor in his work on defense in the secondary and he’s going to put up numbers all over the field for the Christians.

23. Kash Kolbow

Position/school: S/WR/Nease.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-1, 180.

Recruiting: Committed to UCF.

Why he’s here: He was a little bit of a do-it-all player on Nease’s defense in 2025. Kolbow had 68 total tackles and a couple of interceptions. He was sticky in coverage (23 passes defensed) and forced two fumbles. With as big graduation losses as the Panthers had on defense, Kolbow’s production is no doubt bound to keep ticking up.

24. King Boylston

Position/school: QB/Ed White.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-1, 195.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: Boylston isn’t rated by any of the major recruiting services, but he’s a player who should see his stock rise over the course of the year. He accounted for 38 TDs last season, passing for 25 and scampering for 13 more. Boylston passed for 2,091 yards and rushed for 712 more to help lead the Commanders to the mantle as the highest-scoring regular season team in state history.

25. Noah Ash

Position/school: Kicker, Ponte Vedra.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 5-11, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Auburn.

Why he’s here: A placekicker among the area’s top players? You got that right. Ash is the area’s best player at his position, and one of the top recruits in the nation. He booted 11 field goals for the state semifinalist Sharks last year and had 74 touchbacks in 85 chances. Depending on the recruiting outlet, Ash ranks between fourth (247 Sports Composite) to sixth (Rivals/On3).

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned the U.N. Security Council that “critical minerals are increasingly viewed as strategic assets, not just commodities, and a major source of interstate competition.”

Major economies are racing to get supplies of the minerals needed for technology from smartphones to fighter jets to use as leverage, she said. That means a real risk that conflicts will rise and developing economies will find themselves locked into the lowest level of production, while “the highest value jobs, technologies and profits go elsewhere,” she said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said competition for lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earths has seen armed groups reap the benefits of illegal mining and mineral smuggling in eastern Congo — “and civilians have paid the price of ongoing conflict.”

In Sudan, he told the council, the bitter fight between government and paramilitary forces for political and territorial dominance has been fueled by the exploitation of natural resources, especially gold and gum arabic used in printing, paints, glues, cosmetics and other industries, "leading to atrocities and displacing millions.”

“The minerals beneath Africa or any developing region’s soil should never help to finance the conflicts above it,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

She said a real opportunity exists to create “a more diversified, inclusive, and win-win global economy” where mineral wealth is not just extracted and shaped abroad but is a catalyst for economic transformation.

She proposed three priorities:

1. Resource-rich developing countries should demand more local processing, refining and “value addition.”

2. The international rule of law should be strengthened.

3. Most important, resource-rich countries should work together and use the leverage they have to reverse the export of raw materials and import of finished goods as well as promote investment.

“The world cannot achieve energy security, the green transition or digital transformation without them," Okonjo-Iweala said. “Africa alone has roughly 30% of the world’s critical minerals, and less than half of its mineral reserves have been explored.”

Congo accounts for over 70% of global cobalt production, South Africa holds the world’s largest reserves of platinum and manganese, and Zambia and Congo are major copper producers, she said. Between 10 and 12 African countries have commercially exploitable reserves of lithium, and 15 to 20 have commercially exploitable deposits of rare earths.

In a video, Mamdani described the Israeli prime minister as a “war criminal” and said he is not welcome in New York City.

“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” he said in the video posted on X. “The federal government however does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant,” he added, referring to the International Criminal Court.

Mamdani had told the New York Times earlier this month that he and the city’s legal department were discussing arresting Netanyahu if he comes to New York City for the U.N. General Assembly in September.

President Donald Trump on Monday told Netanyahu in a social media post that he “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” The post did not directly mention Mamdani.

Mamdani had said throughout his mayoral election campaign last year that he would seek to order the city’s police to arrest Netanyahu under the criminal court's warrant over Netanyahu’s role in the war in Gaza.

In his video message Tuesday, Mamdani said his administration has reviewed all avenues available and determined the city can't execute the arrest warrant.

“I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said.

Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the U.N., responded by telling the mayor “enough.”

“You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not Hamas’ propaganda,” he said in a statement on social media. “Do your job!”

The world’s top war-crimes court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in 2024, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.

They said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.

Henry Wimberly IV, 36, was taken into custody July 21, at the Clay County Jail after being transported from Taylor Correctional Institution on a warrant signed by a judge. The warrant had been issued June 25.

The charges

According to court records, Wimberly faces the following charges stemming from an incident on May 28, 2025, in Clay County:

• Two counts of vehicular homicide in the deaths of two victims identified in court documents only by initials
• Two counts of DUI manslaughter causing death
• Two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury to another person

Each of the six charges carries a bond of $150,003, for a total bond of $900,018. The charges were filed by State Attorney Melissa W. Nelson of the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

What prosecutors allege

Prosecutors allege Wimberly operated a motor vehicle in a reckless manner likely to cause death or great bodily harm to others, resulting in the deaths of two individuals — identified in the charging document only as M.P. and J.H.

Wimberly is also accused of driving while under the influence of alcoholic beverages and/or a controlled substance to the extent that his normal faculties were impaired, which prosecutors say caused or contributed to those deaths and to serious bodily injury to at least two people.

May 2025 Crash

Investigators say a 58-year-old man was killed in Keystone Heights when his SUV was hit by a sedan that didn’t stop at a stop sign.

Troopers said the car, which had four people inside, was headed north on Sunrise Boulevard and didn’t stop at the State Road 100 stop sign. It hit the front right of the SUV, which was headed east on SR 100.

The 58-year-old died at the scene, FHP said.

Wimberly and his three passengers were all seriously injured, at the time of the crash.

News4JAX is still working to learn more about the second person who later died.

The testimony from Benjamin Gregor came on the second day of a preliminary hearing in a Los Angeles court to determine whether there is enough evidence to put D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, on trial on charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and mutilation of a body.

“I knew her first name,” Gregor said.

The prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, later asked Gregor where he had heard the name Celeste. He said from Rob Morgenroth, D4vd's manager.

“Did he tell you she was his girlfriend?” Silverman asked, but objections prevented an answer.

Burke’s lawyers have said he did not cause Rivas Hernandez’s death, and he has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors allege Burke fatally stabbed Rivas Hernandez to prevent her from revealing their relationship and ruining his career.

Hearing got heated as relationship explored

Gregor was one of two witnesses called to discuss Burke’s finances, to indicate how much he had to lose, and whether the killing could have meant financial gain.

But the questioning, which got increasingly heated, swerved into who among the people around Burke knew he was in a sexual relationship with the teen.

Silverman asked Gregor if he knew Burke had taken Rivas Hernandez to London with him, and to Texas to meet his family. He said he had heard about the London trip.

The prosecutor asked if he had heard about Burke taking Rivas Hernandez to nightclubs, with both of them using fake IDs. Burke only recently turned 21.

This drew angry objections from Burke's attorney, Marilyn Bednarski.

“Counsel is testifying!” she said.

Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo, who will decide whether there is probable cause for trial, cut off the line of questioning.

Prosecutors are seeking to prove that Burke, an indie-pop singer whose music and online presence brought him a huge following, met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and began a sexual relationship with her when she was 13 and he was 18.

They said in a court filing that she had grown jealous of his relationships with other women and threatened to expose him.

Officer details finding girl's passport in area where Burke had been

The court filing said Burke sent a car to pick up Rivas Hernandez on April 23, 2025, from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California, some 80 miles (129 km) outside Los Angeles. They exchanged messages until she arrived at his home, after which her phone went dead. Prosecutors say he stabbed her when she arrived.

A California Highway Patrol officer testified Wednesday that a road worker in January had found Rivas Hernandez’s passport in a brushy dirt area in a rural section of Santa Barbara County, about 95 miles (150 km) northwest of Burke’s Hollywood home.

Prosecutors have said Burke made two trips to the area, once in April 2025 immediately after the killing and again about six weeks later, where data shows he was at the spot where the passport was found.

On Tuesday, the lead investigator, Los Angeles police homicide detective Joshua Byers, testified that records showed Burke had ordered a body bag, chain saws, an inflatable pool and a shovel online, and most of the items were found in Burke's garage when a search warrant was served.

Prosecutors say he dismembered her body in the garage, and kept it in the front trunk of his Tesla, where it was found after the car was towed 4 1/2 months later in September.

Byers testified that when he was called to the Hollywood tow yard, a body bag matching the one Burke had ordered contained a head and torso, with arms and legs underneath in garbage bags.

Photos of the body in the open trunk were shown in court as her parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, sat in the audience. The two were back in the courtroom on Wednesday. They are not expected to testify at the hearing.

The defendant, who has been held without bail since his arrest, appeared in court in his orange jail clothes and glasses.

D4vd made millions between 2023 and 2025

The financial witnesses testified that Burke's music had earned him at least $10 million between 2023 and 2025.

Under the name D4vd (pronounced “David”), he began writing and recording songs for YouTube videos he created of the video game Fortnite as a teen.

The music was a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. The music made him a phenomenon on TikTok, Soundcloud and Spotify, where his top songs, including his 2022 breakthrough “Romantic Homicide,” have more than a billion plays.

In 2023, he released two EPs and opened for SZA on tour. Last year, he performed at the Coachella music festival and released a full album that he was on tour promoting when the body was discovered.

The Pearl Square district is a nearly $1 billion mixed-use district spanning nine blocks of Downtown Jacksonville’s Urban Core.

RELATED | Pearl Square to bring apartments, restaurants, beer gardens & jobs to Downtown Jacksonville

Vandeveer is the first mixed-use residential building in the district and will welcome residents in late summer 2026.

The retail offerings on the ground floor of the Vandeveer will feature:

• Bar Citra - a Jacksonville location of the St. Augustine restaurant recognized in the 2026 Florida Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand distinction featuring coffee, pastries, seasonal plates and natural wine
• Buchner’s Biergarten - a new concept by the team behind Murray Hill’s Buchner’s Bierhalle featuring German beers and small plates served from a vintage-inspired Citroën truck
• PopUp Bagels - a Connecticut-based bagel brand opening its second Jacksonville location after opening at the St. Johns Town Center in late 2025
• Go Greek Yogurt - a Mediterranean lifestyle brand featuring options including authentic Greek yogurt to Greek Bowls
• JETSET Pilates - the third Northeast Florida location of the premium pilates studio franchise
• Pearl Street Nails - a modern and professional nail studio featuring services such as manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements, waxing and more

CEO of Gateway Jax Bryan Moll released this statement regarding the announcement of the planned retail:

“Downtown Jacksonville is emerging as one of the Southeast’s most closely watched urban markets. Residents, visitors and companies will be drawn here by a growing ecosystem of retail, hospitality and public green space where the neighborhood itself is the amenity. The retail mix at Vandeveer has been intentionally designed to bring daily life to the Urban Core, encourage everyday activation and support the kind of walkable, connected environment essential to Downtown Jacksonville’s continued evolution.”

Bryan Moll, CEO, Gateway Jax

Buchner’s Biergarten and JETSET Pilates will open in fall 2026. Other businesses will open through early 2027.

Adams, 25, was charged with possession of a firearm obtained in a crime, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm, no license while in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device, according to an online release from the Durham Regional Police Service in Ontario.

Adams was one of four people arrested.

“Isaiah is completely innocent in this matter,” Adams’ attorney Adam Weisberg said in a statement. “He had no knowledge of any firearm, and he will be fully exonerated.”

The report says that on Friday, police concluded an investigation into a male believed to be in possession of a firearm and involved in drug trafficking. Two of the other people arrested were charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

The Cardinals are scheduled to have their first practice of training camp on Thursday. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Adams was expected to be in camp Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting on the details of Adams' situation.

“We are aware of the situation involving Isaiah Adams,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “Out of respect for the process, we will refrain from commenting further at this time.”

Adams — who was born in Ajax, Ontario — is a third-year player for the Cardinals and in the mix for a starting job. He was a third-round pick out of Illinois in 2024.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

News4JAX toured Jones Technical Institute (J-Tech Institute), a nonprofit vocational school with programs ranging from HVAC to diesel, welding, marine/RV – even commercial truck driving.

What is J-Tech?

J-Tech Institute is a nonprofit technical college that’s been around since 2014.

School leaders say it has an average overall graduation rate of 72%, with its commercial truck driving program boasting an average 98% graduation rate.

MORE: Breakdown of graduation, employment rates by program

J-Tech Institute has an average job placement rate of 87%, with its diesel advanced technology education program reporting a high average employment rate of 100%.

What we saw on the tour

Walking through the building, it’s clear this isn’t a sit-and-listen kind of school—students are actively working on equipment and training setups designed to mirror real-world environments.

HVAC + refrigeration

Students learn the basics in both residential and commercial-style settings, according to J-Tech Vice President Lori Stowers.

Diesel program with a rare partnership

Stowers says J-Tech is one of three schools in the country that has partnered with Volvo and Mack to offer advanced diesel training.

Automotive shop (including transmissions)

In the automotive workshop, Stowers pointed out the transmission area—where students get a look at “all the things you never knew existed inside your car that make it run.”

Welding: training + testing on-site

The welding workshop is loud for a reason—there’s a clean air exchange system running.

Stowers said employers can come to campus and give students specific welding tests as part of the hiring process.

And yes—women are showing up in growing numbers. Stowers told us the highest numbers of women are in welding and commercial truck driving.

Marine + RV: “Adult Legos”

One of the standout areas on the tour was the combined Marine and RV technician training, where students work on everything from older outboards to brand-new models.

Instructor Don Learn, who came to teaching after decades in the field, told us he was looking for an opportunity to pass along what he’s learned and found it at J-Tech.

Students said the hands-on element is the best part—one even described it as “adult LEGO.”

We also spoke with a student training to become a marine and RV technician, who said she decided on the program just a couple of months ago because she’s always loved boats and being out on the water.

The ‘toolbox’ advantage for grads

One big takeaway: J-Tech says it doesn’t want students graduating without what they need to start day one on a job.

Stowers said partners like NAPA and GearWrench help provide a 600-piece tool set for graduates in automotive, diesel, and marine/RV.

A similar tool set is provided to their graduating HVAC and refrigeration students.

How long are the programs—and how do students pay?

J-Tech’s programs are occupational associate degrees, typically about 21 months (depending on the program). They also include general education core classes—like math and English, focused on real workplace communication and technical applications.

J-Tech says to help foot the bill for classes, students can use:

• Federal financial aid
• Industry scholarships
• State grants
• Florida Prepaid
• Bright Futures

Our soaring afternoon highs will sizzle through the weekend. Afternoon peak “Feels Like” temperatures will average around 100-107 degrees with possible Heat Advisories this weekend and early next week.

Mainly dry with isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms through Friday.

Rain chances will increase slightly this weekend with a few strong to isolated severe storms possible, near and along I-95.

Tonight: Mainly dry and warm under partly cloudy skies.

Thursday: Hot and mainly dry with isolated sea breeze showers and storms possible, 10-20 percent. A warm start to the day with lows in the 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the low to mid 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Feels Like temperatures 100-107 degrees Wind: SW/SE 10-15 mph.

Friday: The heat and humidity continue with above average temperatures and possible Heat Advisories. Isolated showers and storms possible. Lows in the 70s to low 80s. Highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s.

Looking ahead: Scattered showers with thunderstorms return this weekend.

Tropics: Tropical Storm Bertha will weaken over Texas on Friday.

Sunrise: 6:40 p.m.

Sunset: 8:27 p.m.

So when Kovar, 64, bought a Ford F-150 last fall, his hope was to be better prepared for any new crisis.

“I was interested in trying to find some sort of power backup situation,” he said.

Now, Kovar has a setup from Ford that allows drivers of certain F-150 models to plug their vehicle directly into their electric meter to power parts of their home during an outage.

It is the latest example of automakers broadly adapting their electrification technologies to the home energy business, especially as demand on the grid increases and sales of electric vehicles slow. Car companies are looking to leverage their multibillion dollar EV investments to tap into a promising market in vehicle, home and grid technology, both for backup power and for supporting electrical grid resiliency.

“They’re trying to look for other businesses that they might sell into,” said Parth Vaishnav, assistant professor of sustainable systems at the University of Michigan.

Ford's latest connects F-150 drivers to their meter

Drivers of the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid and F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks can now plug in a one-foot long adapter to a 240-volt outlet onboard. That adapter — which Ford made with company Global Power Products — makes the vehicle compatible to plug into a longer, separate cable. That cable connects to a transfer switch installed directly on one's electric meter.

Through the adapter and cable series, homeowners can connect their vehicle essentially right to their home’s breaker box. The homeowner simply turns on and off which breaker switches they want for which devices they want powered.

“The way we think about it, especially for customers who already have a compatible vehicle is, you already own the power source, it’s in your driveway,” said Amanda Roraff, Ford's grid and energy services business acceleration lead.

The Lightning might provide power for two to three days, depending on what home devices are being used, and the PowerBoost Hybrid, up to five days on a single tank of gas.

The automaker says its solution is a less expensive way to supply backup power. Conventional, diesel-powered portable generators and full-home standby setups require expensive installation, costing several thousands of dollars. This solution, which also requires professional installation at the meter, starts around $1,100.

The setup only applies to about 200,000 vehicles so far, and it is also exclusively for outages. Ford also offers its Home Integration System for bidirectionality, sending power both from the vehicle to the home and from the home to the vehicle, while also being able to feed the grid.

Other automakers are boosting their energy solutions

Over 630,000 U.S. vehicles already have this functionality, estimates say, and automakers are rapidly expanding their available options with the goal of full vehicle-to-grid support in the long run.

South Korean auto brand Kia and Wallbox, an EV charging company, have teamed up so that drivers of eligible compatible vehicles can have home power backup during outages or during periods of high demand, to cut their utility use. They can send power back to the grid.

Tesla’s technology is similar — allowing drivers of equipped vehicles to connect to their home using additional Tesla hardware. The Cybertruck provides full vehicle-to-home capability, where other Tesla models can only connect to and power specific devices or appliances.

General Motors is also in the energy space.

A recent partnership with WeaveGrid, for instance, allows homeowners who drive certain GM EVs — and have the automaker’s home system and a proper grid interconnection — to enroll in some grid reliability utility programs. Once an outage is detected, GM’s vehicle-to-home tech has the capability to disconnect one's home from the grid and start supplying power from their GM EV.

“If you can imagine the future as we go forward, it's having the ability — now that we have this single platform — that allows our customer to experience our system,” said Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM energy, “but also can have the full control of the energy.”

The capability is an important lifeline amid EV sales slowdown

Not only is this business critical amid growing grid demand and increasing power outages, experts say automakers need to pivot with the EV market less active under current U.S. federal policy. Pure EV sales in the U.S. year-over-year are down 23.8%, according to a July Cox Automotive report on the first half of 2026. This demonstrates what an asset that EV and hybrid ownership can be.

The tech is not without challenges.

On the industry side, these systems have to undergo third-party testing to ensure they meet safety standards, and the vehicle and the charger need to be programmed to communicate. It also requires the approval of the utility where the capability is being used. It could take years to get an interconnect agreement.

On the customer side, homeowners need to understand their vehicles' abilities and how to self-manage their system. It also just brings another generator of power into the home mix.

Still, experts see opportunity, especially with interest in EV sales high outside of the U.S.

“We already know during an outage, its impact, providing electricity to the home,” said Scott Samuelsen, engineering professor emeritus at the University of California, Irvine. “This is going to become very, very popular.”

___

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

___

Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Now, a TikTok video detailing her experience has been viewed tens of thousands of times and prompted hundreds of comments from women who say they have experienced similar incidents.

Rhiannon Alvarez told News4JAX she was shopping for artwork inside HomeGoods when she noticed a man following her through several aisles.

“At first, I thought I was imagining it,” Alvarez said. “When I finally realized this is actually happening to me, I dropped my cart and grabbed my purse and went to the front.”

Alvarez said she alerted store employees after realizing the man seemed to be sexually gratifying himself while watching her.

“The employees also stated when they rewatched the video, it was blatant; he was pleasuring himself while following me,” she said.

According to Alvarez, the man left the store after realizing he had been noticed. She recorded his license plate before calling the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

She said officers arrived about three hours later.

“Within two minutes of talking to me, before seeing video or anything, the officer had decided there was nothing they could do,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said the responding officer later reviewed the store’s surveillance video but still told her no criminal charges could be filed.

When News4JAX requested a copy of the incident report from JSO, the agency responded that no records existed. However, the sheriff’s office confirmed it received a call about the incident.

The I-TEAM has asked JSO why no arrest was made and why no report was generated. JSO told us they had a record of going out to the store, but in the call notes, the officer noted “no crime committed.”

HomeGoods’ parent company, TJX Companies, said it cooperated with investigators.

“At HomeGoods, we take the security of our customers and Associates very seriously. We are aware of this matter and have cooperated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. We will continue to assist law enforcement as appropriate and respectfully defer further comment to the authorities,” the company said in a statement.

Why wasn’t it a crime?

Alvarez said she struggles to understand why the alleged behavior did not result in criminal charges.

“I feel like that’s just as much a crime as anything else,” she said. “I don’t understand how it doesn’t fall under public indecency or lewd and lascivious conduct.”

The I-TEAM reviewed Florida law and consulted legal experts about the case.

Under Florida law, simply touching oneself in public is not automatically a crime. Florida’s exposure statute generally requires a person to expose their sexual organs in a vulgar or indecent manner. If there is no exposure, prosecutors may have limited criminal charging options depending on the facts of the case.

Whether another criminal statute could apply depends on the specific circumstances and evidence.

Viral video prompts broader conversation

Frustrated by the outcome, Alvarez shared her experience on TikTok.

The video quickly gained traction online, with hundreds of commenters, many identifying themselves as women in Jacksonville, sharing stories of stalking, harassment and encounters they say were not taken seriously by law enforcement.

“I’m not the only one it’s going to happen to, and I’m probably not the only one that’s happened to,” Alvarez said. “On my TikTok, there’s 700 comments and half of those comments are other women in Duval County expressing their need for help.”

She hopes her experience will lead to changes in state law.

“If this is legal, make it illegal,” Alvarez said. “We amend laws all the time about things that are much less important than women’s safety.”

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will operate the massive 86-foot-wide curved dome theater and an adjacent 14-theater complex. Alamo's owner, Sony Pictures Entertainment, announced the plan to restore the Dome and reopen it in early 2028.

Alamo's plan will preserve the distinctive Cinerama Dome's geodesic exterior and large logo that have been a Hollywood landmark since the theater opened in 1963. The dome will not have in-theater dining, as is common in other Drafthouse theaters.

“There is no moviegoing destination anywhere in the world that commands the affection, history, and cultural significance of the Cinerama Dome. It represents the kind of singular experience we value and champion,” said Ravi Ahuja, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann said the dome would be its new West Coast flagship theater.

The dome's massive screen supports 70 mm projection, which is having a moment thanks to Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey.”

It was commissioned in 1963 by Pacific Theatres founder William R. Forman as a state-of-the-art way to see movies using three projectors for its custom curved screen. When the dome closed in April 2021, it was one of only three theaters in the world with that capability. Its operator, Pacific Theaters, announced the closing was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of the movie theater trade group Cinema United, applauded the news.

“The Cinerama Dome has been a treasured and important landmark for movie fans and the entire film community for over six decades,” O’Leary said in a statement. “The timing could not be better with moviegoers making clear this year that they love the unique experience of seeing a movie on the big screen.”

Alamo Drafthouse will also reopen a 14-theater complex next to the dome that used to be operated by ArcLight Cinemas, which also shut down in 2021. Those theaters will have in-theater dining, although the chain has faced backlash recently for its pivot to an in-seat ordering operation that requires use of personal phones.

A photo snapped by a passing boater sometime Sunday apparently shows them about thigh deep in the Scioto River, fishing poles in hand, standing around a big log. Calm as the surface appeared, the river was running high and fast, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. All five adults ended up drowning, authorities have said.

After the photo was taken, if it was indeed them, the group might have returned to shore. It is not quite clear. What Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer has said is that one of the adults was struggling to swim in the river when several others went into the water to help. All five were swept under, he said.

The two women's bodies were recovered Sunday and the three men's bodies were found Monday.

On Tuesday, Honduran authorities confirmed that four of the five adults were Honduran citizens — Dias and Regalado and another married couple whose names have not yet been released. The fifth adult also has yet to be identified.

Flabia Zamora, director of consular affairs at the Honduran Foreign Ministry, told reporters Tuesday that they were working with U.S. authorities to bring their bodies home.

Zamora said that once U.S. officials have identified all the victims, Honduras will start the repatriation process, which could take at least a month.

She said the couple’s children are in the care of the state of Ohio and that arrangements will be made to reunite them with relatives in Honduras.

One of the children, a boy wrapped only in a towel, fled the riverbank in a panic and ascended to the road as the adults were drowning. According to a passing driver who called 911, “He was screaming, ‘Mama! Mama!’ and he was about to come out onto the road, and he was crying.” She said she was afraid he was headed onto a multilane road that snakes along the Scioto's eastern banks.

Brenda Raya, who described herself as a relative, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and transportation costs, as well as childcare costs for the two orphaned children. She said they are 8 and 10.

“The emotional and financial burden is overwhelming, and we want to honor the memory of our loved ones while providing for the children left behind,” she wrote.

The drownings occurred along the O’Shaughnessy Reservoir. The reservoir and its 18 miles (29 kilometers) of shoreline are the property of the city of Columbus. According to the city’s Recreation and Parks Department, Jet Skis, tubing and swimming are not permitted in any city of Columbus reservoir.

Lt. Heather Byers, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said rivers can be deceptively calm on the surface.

“Even though the water doesn’t seem to be moving very quickly, you can still get swept away in very slow-moving water,” she said. “Also, since you can’t always see the bottom, you never know if you’re in, you know, you could be in 2 to 3 feet of water, what you’re comfortable standing in, and then the next thing you know you’re at 4 or 5 feet.”

Besides the currents and the depths, people can catch a foot between the rocks, snag their clothes on a branch or lose their balance on slippery algae.

___

González reported from Honduras. Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, and John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report.

Discussion

At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was located near latitude 29.9 North, longitude 89.1 West. Bertha is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h). A westward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected to resume later today and continue through Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through Thursday, and then move farther inland into Texas on Friday.

Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next couple of days, but Bertha could maintain tropical storm intensity through late Thursday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center. Dauphin Island, Alabama, recently reported a sustained wind of 36 mph (58 km/h) and a gust to 41 mph (66 km/h).

Data from the reconnaissance aircraft indicate that the minimum central pressure is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).

Watches and Warnings

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The Tropical Storm Warning has been discontinued east of the Alabama/Florida border.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for, * Alabama/Florida border to Morgan City, Louisiana * Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for, * West of Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas * Lake Maurepas

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 24 to 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 12 to 36 hours.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

Land Hazards

Key messages for Tropical Storm Bertha can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT2 and WMO header WTNT42 KNHC.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across portions of the northern Gulf Coast within the warning area today. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Louisiana by tonight and along the upper Texas coast by Thursday or Thursday night.

STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide,

Alabama/Florida border to Port Bolivar, TX, 1-3 ft Lake Pontchartrain, 1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?peakSurge.

RAINFALL: Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals of 6 inches through Friday along the central to western Gulf Coast from Northwest Florida to southern Texas. This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with Bertha, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ero.

SURF: Swells generated by Bertha will continue spreading westward along the northern Gulf Coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ripCurrents

According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday at the property located on Burbank Avenue.

The community boasts nine three-story buildings, with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments across 312 units, with rents ranging from $1,545 to $2,496.

According to Thompson Thrift, amenities include a heated pool with a nearby fire pit, covered pool-deck patio, private golf cart garages, pickleball court, fitness center, a pet spa and a dog park.

Read more at the Jacksonville Daily Record.

He was stopped about 8:54 a.m. after a deputy conducting traffic enforcement recorded his speed with radar, the report says.

The deputy activated emergency lights, made a U-turn and conducted a traffic stop. He was then taken to Clay County Jail, the report said.

In body camera footage released by the sheriff’s office, the man said he didn’t know he was going 111 mph.

Deputy: Do you know what the speed limit is on this roadway?

Rider: No, sir.

Deputy: Speed limit is 45.

Rider: 45?

Deputy: Do you know how fast you were going?

Rider: No, sir I thought I was going 60.

Deputy: You were going 111.

He was issued a criminal citation for excessive speed.

Week 0

Thursday, Aug. 13

Ribault at Rickards

Ridgeview at Gainesville, 6 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Friday, Aug. 14

Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Baldwin at Middleburg

Bishop Snyder at Port Orange Atlantic

Camden County at Bolles

Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Clay at Bishop Kenny

Columbia at Oakleaf

Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Daytona Beach Seabreeze at Matanzas

Dunnellon at Baker County

Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Ed White at Nease

Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Fletcher at Yulee

Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Hamilton County at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Taylor County

Interlachen at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Lafayette at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Madison County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Menendez at Bradford

NFEI at Father Lopez

Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Stanton at Duval Charter

University Christian at Trinity Catholic

West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Westminster Academy at Episcopal

Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

OFF: Zarephath Academy

TBA: Fleming Island, Hilliard, Cornerstone Classical, Trinity Christian.

Week 1

Friday, Aug. 21

Baker County at Clay

Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Charlton County at West Nassau

Columbia at Bolles

Cornerstone Classical at Bishop McLaughlin, 6 p.m.

Creekside at Nease

Duval Charter at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Eastside at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Episcopal at Providence

First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Hilliard at All Saints Academy

Impact Christian at Chiles

Jackson at Orange Park

Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Leon at Fernandina Beach

Mandarin at McArthur (Broward County Showcase)

Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Menendez at Middleburg

Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Raines at Oakleaf

St. Augustine at Palatka

Suwannee at Crystal River

Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Union County at Rutherford, 7:30 p.m.

University Christian at Ponte Vedra

West Port at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Westside at Ridgeview

Young Kids in Motion at Joshua Christian

Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at IMG Academy White

OFF: St. Joseph.

Week 2

Thursday, Aug. 27

Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Friday, Aug. 28

Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Bell at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Bishop Snyder at Oak Hall

Bolles at Archbishop McCarthy

Bradford at Baker County

Bronson at Cornerstone Classical

Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at NFEI

First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Fleming Island at Creekside

Fort White at Chiefland, 7:30 p.m.

Geneva at St. Joseph

KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Lafayette at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Lakewood at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Matanzas at Clay

Menendez at Ridgeview

Nease at St. Augustine

Orange Park at Oakleaf

Palatka at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

P.K. Yonge at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

Plant City at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Providence at Umatilla

Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Daytona Beach Seabreeze

True Institute at Joshua Christian

University Christian at Trinity Christian

Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Santa Fe

Saturday, Aug. 29

Halifax Academy at Impact Christian

OFF: Beachside, Old Plank Christian, White.

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 3

Young Kids in Motion at St. Joseph

Friday, Sept. 4

Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Baldwin at Baker County

Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Bluffton at NFEI

Christ’s Church Academy at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Clay at Palatka

Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Daytona Beach Mainland at Nease

Deltona at Matanzas

Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Gainesville at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Interlachen at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Keystone Heights at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Lecanto at University Christian

Madison County at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Merritt Island at Ponte Vedra

Middleburg at North Marion

Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Paxon at Williston, 7:30 p.m.

Providence at Eagle’s View

Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Menendez

Trenton at Impact Christian

Trinity Christian at Tallahassee Lincoln

True Institute at Joshua Christian

Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Bishop Snyder, Bolles, Duval Charter, First Coast Christian, Fort White, Mandarin, Ribault, Ridgeview, Union County, West Nassau.

TBA: Sandalwood, Wolfson.

Week 4

Friday, Sept. 11

American Heritage Plantation at Trinity Christian

Baker County at Yulee

Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Bell at Harvest Community

Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Bronson at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Brookwood at Bishop Snyder

Christ’s Church at Duval Charter

Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical at Seven Rivers Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Nease

Matanzas at Ocala Forest

NFEI at Providence

Orange Park at Clay

Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Ridgeview at Fleming Island

St. Augustine at Middleburg

St. Joseph at Old Plank Christian

Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Trinity Catholic at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

University Christian at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

West Nassau at Bayside

Westside at Episcopal

Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Young Kids in Motion at West Oaks Academy, 6 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Dixie County

OFF: Englewood, Fernandina Beach, Hilliard, Jackson, Keystone Heights, Menendez, Oakleaf.

Week 5

Thursday, Sept. 17

Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Young Kids in Motion at Christ’s Church Academy

Friday, Sept. 18

Baker County at Palatka

Bartram Trail at Creekside

Bishop Kenny at Merritt Island

Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Clay at Fernandina Beach

Columbia at Trinity Christian

Crescent City at Orangewood Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Hamilton County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Bronson

Hilliard at St. Joseph

Interlachen at Citrus, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Joshua Christian at Cottondale

Keystone Heights at Bell, 7:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Menendez at Matanzas

Newberry at Middleburg

NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oakleaf at Bolles

Old Plank Christian at Cornerstone Classical

Orlando Evans at St. Augustine

Parker at Orange Park

Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Providence at Impact Christian

Ribault at Ridgeview

Santa Fe at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Union County at First Coast Christian

Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at West Nassau

OFF: Atlantic Coast, Duval Charter, Episcopal, Flagler Palm Coast, KIPP Bold City, Nease, Zaraphath Academy.

Week 6

Thursday, Sept. 24

Beachside at Nease

Clay at St. Augustine

Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Friday, Sept. 25

Atlantic at Keystone Heights

Baker County at Godby

Baldwin at Bolles

Bell at Eagle’s View

Bradford at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Bronson at Joshua Christian

Cornerstone Classical at Aucilla Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Crescent City at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at Duval Charter

First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fleming Island at Orange Park

Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Halifax Academy at Harvest Community

Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

McKinney Christian (Texas) at Christ’s Church Academy

Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Middleburg at Ridgeview

Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Pine Ridge at Matanzas

Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Providence at Seffner Christian

Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Scintilla Charter at Hilliard

Seven Rivers at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Stanton at First Coast Christian

Suwannee at Wakulla

Taylor County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Trinity Christian at NFEI

West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

West Port at Oakleaf

Westside at Palatka

Young Kids in Motion at Jefferson County

Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at West Oaks

OFF: Bishop Kenny, Interlachen, Paxon, Raines.

Week 7

Thursday, Oct. 1

Beachside at Port St. Lucie Legacy

Trinity Prep at Harvest Community

Friday, Oct. 2

Atlantic at Cornerstone Classical

Bradford at Gainesville Eastside, 7:30 p.m.

Branford at St. Joseph

Christ’s Church Academy at Oak Hall

Columbia at Manatee, 7:30 p.m.

Duval Charter at Halifax Academy

Ed White at Oakleaf

Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Flagler Palm Coast at Orange City University

Florida High at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Gadsden County at Impact Christian

Gainesville P.K. Yonge at First Coast Christian

Keystone Heights at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Lake Highland Prep at Bishop Snyder

Lake Mary at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Lake Weir at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Mayo Lafayette at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Menendez at Bishop Kenny

NFEI at Episcopal

Old Plank Christian at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Parker at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon at Ridgeview

Riverside at Nease

Trinity Christian at Carrollwood Day

Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Venice at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

West Nassau at Providence

Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Baker County, Bartram Trail, Bolles, Clay, Creekside, Eagle’s View, First Coast, Fleming Island, Fletcher, Matanzas, Middleburg, Orange Park, Palatka, Ponte Vedra, Sandalwood, St. Augustine, Tocoi Creek, Union County, Yulee.

Week 8

Thursday, Oct. 8

Bishop Snyder at Faith Christian

Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Joshua Christian at Duval Charter

Friday, Oct. 9

Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Aucilla Christian at Hilliard

Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Beachside

Bradford at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.

Clay at Fleming Island

Dixie County at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Keswick Christian

Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Port Orange Atlantic

Fort White at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Foundation Academy at Providence

Gainesville Buchholz at Matanzas

Halifax Academy at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Hamilton County, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Menendez at Palatka

Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oak Hall at Old Plank Christian

Oakleaf at Ocala Forest

Orange Park at Middleburg

Palatka at Menendez

Paxon and Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

P.K. Yonge at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Raines at Bishop Kenny

St. Augustine at Ridgeview

St. Joseph at West Oaks Academy

Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Union County at Fernandina Beach

University Christian at Williston

Wolfson at Episcopal

Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10

West Deptford (NJ) at West Nassau

OFF: Columbia, Cornerstone Classical, Parker, Trinity Christian, Zarephath Academy.

Week 9

Thursday, Oct. 15

Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Friday, Oct. 16

Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Bolles at Trinity Christian

Christ’s Church Academy at True Institute

Columbia at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Father Lopez at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Joshua Christian

First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Fort White at Baker County

Harvest Community at Taylor Pierson

Hilliard at Dixie County, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Menendez

Interlachen at Wildwood

Jackson at West Nassau

Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Beachside

Matanzas at Oakleaf

Middleburg at Fleming Island

Nease at Bartram Trail

Old Plank Christian at Bishop Snyder

Orange Park at St. Augustine

Palatka at Newberry

Providence at Fernandina Beach

Ribault at Yulee

Ridgeview at Clay

Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Oak Hall

Taylor County at NFEI

Umatilla at Crescent City

University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath at Bishop Kenny

OFF: Suwannee, Westside

Week 10

Thursday, Oct. 22

Ridgeview at Orange Park

Friday, Oct. 23

Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Kenny at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Snyder at Seven Rivers Christian

Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Bronson at Old Plank Christian

Crescent City at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

First Coast at Creekside

Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Halifax Academy at Eagle’s View

Hamilton County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Interlachen at Atlantic

Middleburg at Clay

Oakleaf at Buchholz

Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Nease

Raines at Cocoa

Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal

Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Suwannee at Godby

Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Wakulla at Baker County

West Nassau at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

West Port at Matanzas

Westside at Menendez

Young Kids in Motion at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Umatilla

OFF: Christ’s Church Academy, Harvest, Providence, Stanton, University Christian.

Week 11

Thursday, Oct. 29

University Christian at Calvary Christian

Friday, Oct. 30

Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Baker County at West Port

Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Belleview at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Buchholz at Bolles

Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Fort White at Palatka

Halifax Academy at Providence

Hilliard at Taylor Pierson, 7:30 p.m.

Land O’ Lakes at Bartram Trail

Matanzas at Palm Bay

Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Sunlake at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Westside at Beachside

Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Saturday, Oct. 31

Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

OFF: Bradford, Impact Christian, Wolfson

TBA: Cornerstone Classical

TBA, SSAC playoffs: Bishop Snyder, Christ’s Church Academy, Duval Charter, Eagle’s View, Episcopal, Fernandina Beach, First Coast Christian, Harvest, Interlachen, Keystone Heights, Old Plank Christian, Paxon, St. Joseph, Stanton, Union County, West Nassau.

Olushola Yusuf, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution, court documents and evidence presented at trial showed. Prosecutors said Yusuf dispensed at least 335,351 pills of oxycodone 30 mg — the maximum strength — through two pharmacies she owned and operated in South Florida.

Yusuf ran Boots LLC, doing business as Striderite, in Margate, and Chans Pharmacy Plus Inc. in Pembroke Pines. Prosecutors said she required customers to pay in cash, charged roughly 10 times the typical cost and continued filling prescriptions for people who could not get the drug elsewhere. Some customers reportedly paid as much as $1,000 a month in cash; others were drug dealers picking up pills for multiple patients who were not present.

“Whether you deal drugs on a street corner or from behind a pharmacy counter, the Fraud Division will hold you fully accountable under the law,” Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division said in a statement. “The defendant abused the public trust by using her pharmacies to unlawfully distribute deadly opioids.”

Prosecutors said customers traveled long distances across Florida to have Yusuf fill prescriptions, and witnesses testified that Yusuf kept her pharmacy doors locked during business hours and only opened for certain identified customers. She allegedly persisted despite repeated warnings from employees and the Drug Enforcement Administration about the dangers of her operations.

“By distributing dangerous and highly addictive narcotics, the defendant demonstrated a clear disregard for their community and endangered countless residents who should have been able to trust their pharmacist,” FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia said. “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our nation, which is why the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to hold the criminals poisoning our communities with these drugs accountable.”

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said Yusuf “knowingly flooded South Florida communities with more than 335,000 high-dose oxycodone pills, even after her employees and the DEA warned her about the dangers of her conduct.”

DEA Chief of Operations Matthew W. Allen said pharmacists are a critical safeguard against diversion of controlled substances and that Yusuf “abandoned that responsibility, exploited addiction, and endangered lives for personal profit.”

Prosecutors also said Yusuf bought patient data and used it to generate sham medical orders, targeting seniors and people with disabilities and seeking to drain federal health care programs. Miranda L. Bennett, acting deputy inspector general for investigations at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said the verdict shows HHS-OIG and partners will hold accountable anyone who defrauds programs or preys on vulnerable people.

Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is scheduled to be sentenced in October. Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors; a sentencing hearing is set for Oct. 14, 2026.

The HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey sent 100 National Guard members to the hardest-hit areas in the northern part of the state, and declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties Tuesday night. An additional 200 National Guard members were deployed Wednesday.

“State and local agencies will remain on the ground for as long as it takes to help affected communities,” Morrisey said in a statement.

The state Division of Natural Resources has been involved in 85 rescues, he said, and 19 National Guard and state police helicopters were either out on rescue missions or standing by if needed. Local officials also reported numerous rescues.

Bob Pfister said the power remained on at the hotel where he was staying in Weston, even though the first floor was inundated with coffee-brown water. Most people had planned to stay put until Wednesday morning.

“Right now this option is much better than a shelter and a life boat,” Pfister posted on Facebook. “If the power goes out that may change a whole lot!”

Forecasters said up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain fell in some places.

The National Weather Service in Charleston warned of life-threatening flooding conditions in some communities Tuesday night, telling people to “SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!”

Video and photos on social media showed submerged vehicles in parking lots, including at a Walmart in Weston where muddy water surged far into the store.

Emergency crews reported dozens of rescues of people stuck in submerged vehicles. However, some rescuers were unable to get to locations where floodwaters had cut off access.

Officials in some communities were still waiting for floodwaters to recede Wednesday before figuring out where the public can drop off donated supplies.

“Right now, that’s our problem,” Mayor Robbie Skinner of Buckhannon said on social media. “Our city is spliced up in such a way by the flood waters that there’s simply not a centralized place for everyone to access at this time.”

The heavy rains were part of wide-ranging storms — which also produced reports of tornadoes — stretching from the Cincinnati area across New Jersey to the New York City suburbs. Damage from a possible tornado was reported in the area of St. Marys and Belmont in West Virginia.

The ground was already saturated after storms dumped more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain throughout the state on Saturday.

Although the rain had cleared out Wednesday, flood warnings remained posted in several counties for rivers, creeks and low-lying areas. Flood watches were posted for a large swath from eastern Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina.

Emergency service communication channels were buzzing with activity late Tuesday night in West Virginia's Lewis and Upshur counties, which have about 40,000 residents combined.

First responders were performing water rescues for hours Tuesday night into Wednesday, Lewis County Commissioner Agnes Quinn Queen said.

“The devastation across our county is extensive,” she said in a social media post.

The governor urged residents to stay home Tuesday night. Floodwaters forced the closure of portions of Interstate 79, U.S. Route 48 and numerous secondary roads. A sinkhole caused by the storm swallowed a vehicle at a bar in Fayetteville.

Tuesday’s storms occurred a decade after 23 people died when heavy rains fell for hours over the same areas.

Data from a U.S. Geological Survey water gauge showed one creek tributary, Sand Run, rose to a record level near Buckhannon, topping the mark set during a November 1985 flood event that resulted in 47 deaths statewide.

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Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

Mathieu van der Poel led his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate Philipsen to his first stage victory of this Tour by controlling the pace and containing counterattacks through the last kilometers.

Philipsen finished just ahead of Mauro Schmid and Olav Kooij.

The Belgian rider described a “a rollercoaster of emotions” after what had been a disappointing Tour for him personally.

“I prepared very, very well. I was in the shape of my life, I think, and the first stages, the first 12 days were just horrible. I couldn’t find myself, couldn’t find the feeling I was hoping for,” said Philipsen, who thanked his team colleagues.

“I was like an angry bird at the table. I was just disappointed in myself, angry that I couldn’t take (a) stage win, that I didn’t find my feeling. And the team, they had to deal with it, not only the riders, the staff. This one is for them to keep on believing,” Philipsen said.

Pogačar plays it safe

Pogačar, who is chasing a third straight Tour title and fifth overall, maintained his lead of just over 4½ minutes over Remco Evenepoel, the winner of the previous two stages.

But it was a bad day for Pogačar’s UAE Emirates XRG teammate Adam Yates, who struggled and only made it back within the time limit. The British rider slumped over his handlebars, clearly exhausted.

The race ends Sunday in Paris.

Sprinters’ last chance

The relatively flat 174.7-kilometer (108.5-mile) route from Chambery to Voiron was the last favorable stage for sprinters before the Tour takes to the Alps, and it led to a day of attempted breakaways with many riders vying to put themselves in contention.

Van der Poel was among the leaders after Côte de Saint-Jean d’Arvey, the last significant climb, and they were joined by others before Yates’ problems began in the peloton.

Mads Pedersen was next to attack the leaders with 65 kilometers remaining, and the green jersey-holder invigorated the group when he joined them.

More sprinters broke away, swelling the group to 30 riders, before Pedersen, Ben Healy, Michal Kwiatkowski, Felix Engelhardt, Ed Planckaert and Jasper Stuyven struck out 57 kilometers from the finish.

Stuyven attacked on his own 26 kilometers from the line, leaving his five former co-leaders to chase or wait for the main bunch. They were caught. The only question was whether the 34-year-old Stuyven had the stamina to claim his first Tour stage win.

The Belgian rider was caught with less than 4 kilometers remaining, and Van der Poel did the rest for Philipsen.

Race for green jersey heats up

Philipsen's stage win moved him just behind Pedersen in the contest for the green jersey awarded to the rider with the most points.

With four stages remaining, Pedersen of Lidl-Trek had 452 points, followed by Philipsen on 445. Biniam Girmay of Eritrea was next with 361 points.

Doping test concerns

Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, responded to criticism of unannounced anti-doping controls after Pogačar and his main rival Jonas Vingegaard were woken in the early hours of Sunday for tests by the Swiss-based International Testing Agency.

Vingegaard subsequently crashed during Sunday’s stage and had to abandon the race.

The UCI said it acknowledged the night-time testing “can disrupt riders’ rest and recovery” and said it remained an exceptional measure.

“While fully aware of how onerous such a measure is for riders, the UCI nevertheless underscores that these controls serve an overriding interest: the fight against doping,” the body said in a statement.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Officials say they announcement, made July 21, fulfills a key requirement of Executive Order 14249, Protecting America’s Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.

Screening catches nearly $99 million in improper payments

Since the new process launched, the Treasury says it has screened more than 885 million federal payments totaling approximately $2.77 trillion. Of those, more than 4,900 payments — worth roughly $99 million — were flagged as associated with deceased payees.

Those payments were returned to their originating federal agencies for review before any funds were disbursed.

“Treasury has delivered on a key promise of President Trump’s mandate to stop improper payments and fraud before money leaves the Treasury, and strengthen the integrity of the federal payment system,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“Together with Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, this new safeguard addresses a longstanding vulnerability and helps ensure every dollar the federal government spends reaches its intended recipient. Treasury will continue efforts to modernize the federal payment system, strengthen safeguards against fraud and improper payments, and protect taxpayer dollars,” Bessent said.

Death Master File access drives new capability

The screening capability is built on Treasury’s expanded access to the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File, which enables more comprehensive identification of deceased payees before payments are issued.

Access to the file was originally granted through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which allowed Treasury a temporary, three-year pilot program. During the pilot’s first year, Treasury projected an estimated $330 million in net benefits between 2024 and 2026 through reduced improper payments.

In February 2026, Congress passed the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, which President Trump signed into law, granting Treasury permanent access to the Full Death Master File.

The Treasury said it will continue implementing payment verification capabilities required under the Executive Order to further strengthen safeguards against fraud, waste, and improper payments across the federal government.

The fire in rural Guadalajara comes less than two weeks after a deadly blaze devastated a small expat community in southern Spain. That small but extremely virulent fire killed 13 people, including several foreigners, in one of the southern European country's deadliest wildfires.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday visited the fire-ravaged area in Guadalajara, and called for a pact between political parties to fight climate change.

“Year after year we clearly see how climate change kills and destroys wealth in our communities,” Sánchez said in the village of Tamajón, located less than two hours by car northeast of Madrid. “This isn’t politics. It is science, it’s about facts.”

Some 34 villages have been evacuated in the area but there are no reported serious injuries or deaths. Over 200 firefighters were supported by land vehicles and aircraft on Wednesday.

Spain this year has already suffered 22 major forest fires, defined as a fire that burns over 500 hectares (1,235 acres.)

The Socialist leader said over 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) had already been scorched through the first half of the year, matching the total yearly average for Spain over the last decade.

Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, described the Guadalajara fire as “one of the largest in the recent history of our country” and the largest ever for the region of Castilla La Mancha.

The Guadalajara blaze is the second-largest on record in Spain’s history after some 37,000 hectares (91,000 acres) were burned last year in the northwest of the country, according to data from the ecological transition ministry, as cited by EFE news agency.

Regional authorities said firefighters supported by water-dumping aircraft had so far protected homes in all 40 villages in the burned area, 90% of which belongs to a national park. Firefighters hope to have the nearly week-old fire under control by Friday, said Emiliano García-Page, regional president of Castilla La Mancha.

Miguel Ángel Moreno, mayor of the village of Zarzuela de Jadraque, said its 100 residents were evacuated Friday, with 14 taking refuge at a Red Cross shelter.

Moreno said that the firefighters should receive as much admiration as the soccer players who won the World Cup on Sunday.

The firefighters “had to run from one side of the village to the other putting out fires,” Moreno told Spanish national television TVE. “Besides the heroes who won the World Cup, we have other heroes who remain nameless.”

New heat wave could complicate firefighting efforts

Spain’s weather agency said a heat wave that began Tuesday was expected to reach its peak between Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures pushing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several inland areas and crossing 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) in parts of Andalusia, in southern Spain.

Guadalajara and large areas of Spain were under alert for high temperatures.

Like many other European countries, Spain is experiencing extreme heat, which is combining with wind and limited rainfall to create ideal conditions for small wildfires to grow unchecked.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as quickly as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing severe heat waves across Europe. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires.

Europe facing hot, dry weather

In Sicily, firefighters said they had carried out more than 1,000 operations since Saturday and have put all the Italian island’s fire departments on double shifts to cope with the blazes.

The latest was a wildland-urban blaze in Agrigento, in central western Sicily that required the evacuation of 100 people from homes and a clinic, with 22 patients transferred to other facilities, the national service said. Firefighters were particularly concerned about an oxygen storage plant nearby.

For days, Italy’s Civil Protection agency has declared all of Sicily at the highest risk for wildfires. Winds and temperatures near or above 40C (100F) have fueled blazes from near Palermo on the northern coast to Catania in the east and now Agrigento in the west.

Greece was sweltering under what was forecast to be the last of a four-day heat wave. Temperatures were predicted to top 42 C (107 F), while several regions in southern and central Greece, including the wider Athens area, were on the highest alert level for wildfire danger.

Cyprus, meanwhile, issued a warning for high temperatures expected to reach 43 C (109 F).

In Britain, it hasn’t rained in more than a month in some areas, and much of the southern half of England is in a state of “prolonged dry weather,” one step before a drought. Thames Water, the country’s biggest water company, has banned its 10 million customers from using hoses to water lawns or wash cars starting Thursday.

France's public health agency on Wednesday said the country recorded at least 5,700 more deaths than usual during a historic heatwave last month, sharply increasing its estimates of the feared toll from record-shattering temperatures.

Public Health France said regions hit by the heat between June 17 and July 2 recorded 21,674 deaths from all causes. But without a heatwave, those same regions would have been expected to have seen far fewer deaths, or 15,910, based on statistical modeling using data from previous years, it said.

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Nicole Winfield in Rome, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, Jill Lawless in London and John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.

Homer Esau Vazquez-Mendez, 45, a Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after removal or deportation and was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation. He was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a targeted enforcement operation in Chatham County and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Manuel de Jesus Perez-Melgar, 32, a Honduran citizen, also pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after removal or deportation and received a sentence of time served followed by deportation. He was identified in May 2026 during a traffic stop in Port Wentworth and transferred to ICE custody.

Didier Mora-Tino, 38, a Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to time served and immediate deportation. Mora-Tino was identified in March 2026 in Ware County and transferred to ICE custody.

Illegal re-entry after removal or deportation is a federal charge applied to individuals present in the United States after at least one prior removal.

Public Health France said regions hit by the heat from June 17 to July 2 recorded 21,674 deaths from all causes. But without a heat wave, those same regions would have been expected to have seen far fewer deaths, or 15,910, based on statistical modeling using data from previous years, it said.

The difference between expected and actual deaths — a total of 5,764 — are therefore considered to be “excess” deaths during the heat wave, the agency said.

It said the excess mortality, with 36% more deaths that would normally have been expected, was the highest from any heat wave since 2003. A historic heat wave that year caused an estimated 15,000 deaths in France.

France registered its hottest-ever days on June 24 and June 25 this year — with a national average of 30 C (86 F) — as well as record heat at night and peak temperatures that soared well above 40 C (104 F) in many places.

Just over half of the unexpected deaths occurred during and in the immediate wake of that hottest period, over three days from June 25 to June 27, the public health agency said.

“This unprecedented episode, characterized by its early onset, intensity, and duration, exposed nearly the entire population to extreme heat during a period when school and work activities were still in full swing,” the agency noted.

All told, across Europe, extreme temperatures that hit exceptionally early and hard this year saw well over 10,000 more deaths at the height of the heat wave than would normally have been expected, according to figures that are still emerging across the continent.

In France, the Paris region appears to have been hardest hit, recording 1,999 unexpected deaths — around 80% more than would otherwise have been anticipated without a heat wave, the French health agency said.

Funeral service directors in Paris said they struggled to find places to store bodies before burial or cremation, with some mortuaries saying they were full and having to turn bodies away.

Nearly half of the more than 21,600 people who died passed away in hospitals, which wrestled with surges of patients suffering from heat-related ailments. About a third died at home and the rest were mostly deaths in care homes for older people, the agency said.

The latest estimated death toll, which the agency said will be updated later in the year with more complete data, was sharply higher than initial figures it had given. It had previously reported around 2,000 additional deaths from all causes for the week of June 22 to June 28, the peak in France of the heat wave that also broke temperature records in many other parts of Europe.

Experts caution that it takes a while for a full picture to emerge, and that many heat-related deaths will never formally be recorded as such. For example, a heart attack, which can be triggered by extreme heat exposure, especially in people who are older or have underlying health issues, may be listed on a death certificate simply as a heart attack.

Ukraine has made significant progress in the war this year, and a rift between the country’s outgoing army chief and its defense minister threatened to derail its efforts. Both men lost their jobs following Zelenskyy’s major government reshuffle last week.

The top-level changes late Tuesday were intended to draw a line under an unwelcome spasm of political turmoil that lasted almost a week and prompted rejoicing in Russia. It was not clear whether Zelenskyy's measures would achieve that goal.

The new army chief, 43-year-old Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, belongs to a new generation of Ukrainian generals who have come up through the ranks during the battle against Russian aggression. He became known for his daring and courage in 2014, the year that Russia seized and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula — eight years before Moscow's all-out invasion.

Zelenskyy said Drapatyi and other commanders must present an updated defense strategy, including continued reform of the corps system, faster weapon and drone deliveries, stronger air defense against Russian strikes and a clearer mobilization plan.

Russia says the changes in Kyiv won't alter the front line

There is no sign that the two countries are any closer to a peace settlement, despite U.S.-led diplomatic efforts.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Moscow is sticking to its previous demands. They include Kyiv withdrawing its forces from the four eastern regions that Russia has seized but doesn’t fully control, renouncing any aspirations to NATO membership and sharply cutting the size of its army.

Peskov told reporters that the Ukrainian political and military changes reflect strains in Kyiv.

“Kyiv’s regime is trembling from within. It can be seen with the naked eye,” Peskov said.

Nor will the top-level alterations change the front line, he told reporters, claiming that Russian forces are on the offensive.

With the war’s roughly 1,250-kilometer (800-mile) front line mostly off-limits to independent observers, Russia and Ukraine have also engaged in a propaganda battle.

Fedorov's future is still uncertain

Zelenskyy met separately Tuesday with outgoing defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a 35-year-old tech-savvy entrepreneur credited with swiftly developing Ukraine’s drone technology that has given it a battlefield edge.

Fedorov locked horns with outgoing commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, a 60-year-old veteran trained in the Soviet Union before Ukraine’s independence.

Street protests in Kyiv and other cities demanded Fedorov’s return, viewing him as a key military modernizer, and urged Zelenskyy to fire Syrskyi, regarded as part of the old guard.

The demonstrations looked set to continue on Friday, despite Syrskyi's exit.

“It is good that the dialogue is working. At the same time, we should not forget the protesters’ second demand — to reinstate Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister,” Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a veteran and former combat medic who has emerged as an informal voice of the protests, wrote on Threads.

Zelenskyy offered Fedorov what he called a respected position in the government that would unify the country’s technology sector. It wasn’t clear if Fedorov accepted the offer -- or whether the latest moves would satisfy protesters and calm the streets.

Fedorov said after his dismissal last week that he had been offered jobs by some global defense tech companies.

Fedorov supported Drapatyi's appointment, calling it a “new hope in the fight of free people for freedom and justice” and “a voice for change that could not go unheard.”

Fedorov had criticized Syrskyi publicly before his dismissal, saying the general was blocking his reform efforts and needed to be replaced for Ukraine not to fail in its resistance against Russia.

Outgoing military chief points to recent battlefield achievements

Syrskyi defended his wartime record in a statement Wednesday.

Among other things, he claimed Ukrainian forces had clawed back 743 square kilometers (287 square miles) of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory this year and said he was handing his successor an army that was not only defending but also conducting offensive operations.

It was not possible to independently verify his claim.

Fedorov called Syrskyi to thank him for his military triumphs, including defending the Kyiv region at the time of Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion, the Kharkiv counteroffensive operation later that year and other battles, calling them “already an important part of Ukraine’s history.” But he added that the country must “move even faster and write new chapters, correcting all previous mistakes.”

The political crisis began last Thursday, when Zelenskyy overhauled his wartime government, replacing his prime minister and firing Fedorov after just six months in the post.

The reshuffle immediately drew thousands of protesters into the streets of Kyiv and other cities, framing Fedorov’s removal as Zelenskyy siding with an entrenched military old guard over a reformer.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he’s also appointing Maj. Gen. Ihor Skybiuk as chief of the General Staff as part of the overhaul.

Russia and Ukraine keep up their long-range strikes

The political maneuvers took place against a backdrop of continued deadly strikes by Russia and Ukraine on each other's soil.

Ukrainian drones overnight struck two more sprawling warehouses of Russia’s major online retailer, Wildberries, in Russia’s southern regions of Krasnodar and Stavropol, Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim and Russian officials said Wednesday.

The strikes came four days after Ukraine’s long-range drones hit massive Wildberries warehouses in the Moscow region and in the Tambov region, killing eight people and wounding dozens, according to officials.

Zelenskyy said, without naming the facilities, that they were used by Russia to supply sanctioned components for the production of drones and navigation equipment.

Russian attacks, meanwhile, have also struck several major Ukrainian logistics hubs and retail facilities over the past week.

Russia attacked Ukraine with four missiles of various types and 216 long-range strike drones overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to the Ukrainian air force.

In the southern Odesa region, a Russian drone killed a woman when it struck a two-story apartment building, regional military administration head Oleh Kiper said.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

The 34-year-old Casemiro — who appeared in all five of Brazil’s matches at this year’s World Cup, scoring one goal — is under contract with Inter Miami through the end of next year’s sprint season, with an extension option through June 2029.

Casemiro’s discovery rights were held by the LA Galaxy, and by league rule that would have prevented Inter Miami from negotiating with him. The teams reached a settlement that allowed Inter Miami to get the long-awaited signing done, but the league is still probing the tampering allegation.

“The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete,” MLS said in a statement. “While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the Discovery Priority to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation.”

It’s unclear when Casemiro will debut for Inter Miami. The team said he is still waiting on the necessary visa.

Casemiro spent the past four seasons with Manchester United, and the bulk of his professional career prior to that with Real Madrid.

“He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

She was scared, sure. But more than that, she was brought to tears.

“I thought I’d be a bit more petrified, but I was enamored. I was in awe. It was witnessing nature,” she says. “You can’t put it into words the emotions and the feelings that you experience.”

Viewers can watch Rei Ami — and hear her sing a new K-pop song inspired by her experience with sharks while off the Korean Peninsula — as Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” kicks off Sunday.

Twenty new, hourlong shows leap deep into the world of the ancient predators, from a record-setting dive attempt into shark-infested waters to trying to find out what triggers giant bull sharks to confront humans.

“Growing up, I always watched ‘Shark Week,’” says Rei Ami. “You see those epic commercials, with the great white jumping out and eating the chum and the tuna. That’s ingrained in my brain forever.”

Actor-comedian Ken Jeong joins her to start the week off with the show “K-Pop Shark Heroes” on Sunday. But while she went on two cage dives and two free dives with hammerheads and reef sharks and bull sharks, he preferred to stay out of the water.

“I’m more of the Christopher Nolan of the shark ‘Odyssey’ — just overseeing it,” Jeong jokes. “Just overlooking everything. High and dry. That’s when I do my best work.”

It’s a shark-a-thon

The seven nights of new shows ends Aug. 1 with a look at how great whites are moving further up the East Coast and an examination of how thresher sharks use their tails to stun and kill prey.

One highlight is watching high diver Molly Carlson leap 50 feet (15 meters) from a helicopter into a Plexiglas cage in the ocean surrounded by circling reef sharks. She's OK with jumping from enormous heights, but sharks terrify her.

“There was zero chances of me ever swimming with sharks. This was just not on my radar,” she says. “That’s always been my thing, and so for me to be invited to be on ‘Shark Week,’ I was like 'Why me?'”

Viewers will see Carlson, who has been frank about her struggles with anxiety, overcome her lifelong fear of sharks. Carlson hopes she can motivate others.

“If I can inspire that next 16-year-old girl who wants to just hide in her room and never come out because she’s scared of so many things, then I’m absolutely going to find a way to do this,” she says. “You’re allowed to be scared and do it anyways. And so I think that was the big purpose behind this project for me.”

This year’s highlights also include an attempt to locate a rumored 15-foot (4- meter) mako off the coast of Southern California, which would make it the largest ever documented.

Marine biologist Kendyl Berna, a “Shark Week” veteran who co-founded the ecology group Beyond the Reef, says her team of scientists were betting on the fact that a marine heat wave has made mako prey in those waters abundant, allowing the sharks to get bigger.

“Sharks are the cockroaches of the sea because they’ve been around for 450 million years. They’re older than dinosaurs, they’re older than trees. Sharks have just been around, but the form that they’re taking constantly changes,” she says.

‘Shark Week’ is fun but also educational

“Shark Week” has become a key part of the summer holiday TV schedule, a place where humans safe on land can see ancient apex predators unnervingly glide into view and snap open their jaws, fueling nightmares.

As always, there is a deep respect for the creatures and strong science beneath the amusing titles, sharky puns, dramatic music and racy titles like “Chum Island: Catching a Killer” and “Sharkzilla Takes New York.”

“While ‘Shark Week’ is very entertaining and thrilling, it is at the core very educational. And I think there’s still so much misinformation regarding sharks and how they behave,” says Rei Ami.

“Through these episodes, people can understand, there’s really no reason to fear them, you know? And I hope that message gets received.”

Discovery’s “Shark Week” has a rival — National Geographic’s “SharkFest,” which also has hours of sharky content. And there's Amazon Studios’ new movie “The Devil’s Mouth,” which has bull sharks terrorizing college students in a flooded cave system.

“Shark Week” also has practical advice about what to do when you find yourself face-to-snout with a shark, a rising concern from Korea to Brooklyn as interactions increase. The advice is clear: Stop splashing.

“It’s even more imperative that humans know how to act and react in a situation when they are in the waters and they see a shark,” says Rei Ami. “It would really, I think, help the public to understand how these apex predators work and behave.”

Florida recorded 36 confirmed cases of Hansen’s disease, also called leprosy, in 2025, according to Florida Department of Health figures reported by state and regional news outlets. State data cited in local reporting showed 27 of those 36 cases were acquired in Florida rather than abroad.

Through mid‑July 2026, Florida had reported 17 cases for the year, according to state health figures cited in local news coverage. Those counts are provisional and reflect cases reported to the Florida Department of Health as of the dates noted in the reports.

Public-health and university investigators say the increase has been concentrated in parts of Central Florida. The University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute said Brevard County accounted for 40 of the state’s 74 confirmed cases from 2019 through 2022 — far outpacing other counties in that period — and singled out counties along the Interstate 4 corridor for additional attention.

Florida Department of Health data reported in July 2026 listed cases across a range of counties, including Brevard, Charlotte, Duval, Highlands, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Miami‑Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter and Volusia. Local reporting noted that some cases were acquired outside Florida or outside the United States.

Scientists have long known that the nine‑banded armadillo can carry Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes Hansen’s disease. A 2011 genomic study found armadillos and many patients in the southern United States harbored essentially identical strains of the bacterium, supporting probable zoonotic transmission in some cases. A 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report and subsequent university investigations documented rising numbers of locally acquired infections in central Florida and a growing share of patients with no travel to leprosy‑endemic countries.

Health officials emphasize that leprosy remains rare and that the overall risk to the general public is low. The disease most commonly spreads after prolonged, close contact with an untreated person; zoonotic transmission from armadillos is considered a recognized but uncommon route. Most people — roughly 95% — are naturally resistant to infection, federal health information notes.

Leprosy is curable. Standard multidrug therapy prevents disability and makes patients noninfectious soon after treatment begins. Public-health guidance advises people to avoid handling, skinning or eating armadillos; to wear gloves and wash exposed skin if contact is unavoidable; and to tell health care providers about any armadillo exposure when seeking care for persistent skin lesions, numbness or other symptoms suggestive of Hansen’s disease.

Officials said improving clinician awareness is critical because the disease can take years or even decades to show symptoms and is often misdiagnosed, delaying treatment that prevents nerve damage.

Wembanyama is on the cover of the Standard Edition, Clark is on the Deluxe Edition and Rose will appear on the limited-time Ultra Edition.

The Standard Edition launches widely on Sept. 4. Deluxe and Ultra editions launch with early access on Aug. 28.

Wembanyama said being on the cover was “a dream come true,” and Clark said being on a cover "is special because this game reaches fans all over the world.”

Rose was also on the cover of NBA 2K13.

“This is a chance to inspire young athletes to stay obsessed with the game,” Rose said. “To show them that when you put in the countless hours of hard work, it rewards you.”

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

July 2026 payment dates at a glance

Tuesday, July 1, and Friday, July 31: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients typically receive payments on the first of the month. However, because Aug. 1 falls on a Saturday — and the Social Security Administration does not process payments on weekends or federal holidays — July’s SSI payment will be issued July 31.

Thursday, July 2: Several groups are usually paid on the third of the month but will receive July payments a day early because the federal government observes Independence Day on Friday, July 3. (July 4 falls on a Saturday this year.) This earlier date applies to beneficiaries who:

• Receive both SSI and a Social Security retirement, disability, family or survivor benefit
• Live abroad
• Are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program
• Have been receiving Social Security payments since before May 1, 1997

Wednesday, July 8: Beneficiaries with birthdays between the 1st and 10th of their birth month.

Wednesday, July 15: Beneficiaries with birthdays between the 11th and 20th of their birth month.

Wednesday, July 22: Beneficiaries with birthdays between the 21st and the end of their birth month.

How does the payment schedule work?

For retirement and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients, payment dates are tied to the beneficiary’s birthday. For those collecting auxiliary benefits — such as a survivor or spouse benefit based on someone else’s earnings record — the payment date is determined by that person’s birthday, not the recipient’s.

The schedule breaks down like this:

• Birthday on the 1st–10th: Payment arrives on the second Wednesday of the month.
• Birthday on the 11th–20th: Payment arrives on the third Wednesday of the month.
• Birthday on the 21st–31st: Payment arrives on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

It’s also worth noting that Social Security pays benefits for the prior month. The payment received in July covers June’s benefit.

Why does Social Security stagger payments?

The SSA adopted the staggered schedule in June 1997. Before that, all benefits went out on the third of the month — but as the number of beneficiaries grew, that became unmanageable.

Most people who began receiving benefits before May 1, 1997, are still paid on the third of each month. That date also applies to beneficiaries who live abroad, those enrolled in Medicare Savings Programs and those who collect both Social Security and SSI. That last group receives SSI on the first of the month and their Social Security benefit on the third.

The SSA maintains an online calendar showing all 2026 payment dates.

How are benefits paid?

All Social Security benefits are paid electronically — either by direct deposit to a bank account or through a Direct Express debit card.

Direct deposit is the standard method. Beneficiaries can set it up when applying for benefits online through a My Social Security account, by phone at 800-772-1213 or in person at a local Social Security office. To update banking information later, identity verification is required and can be completed in person, online or by phone using the Security Authentication PIN (SAP) feature.

The Direct Express debit card is an alternative for those who prefer not to use a traditional bank account. Benefits are deposited directly onto the card, which works like any standard debit card for purchases, bill payments and cash withdrawals. Sign up by calling 800-333-1795.

What happened to paper checks?

The SSA stopped mailing paper checks to most beneficiaries in 2013 to cut postal costs. As of June 2026, only about 283,000 people — less than 0.4% of all beneficiaries — still receive physical checks.

Under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March 2025, federal agencies are working to fully phase out paper payments. Beneficiaries still receiving checks are encouraged to switch to electronic payments by visiting the U.S. Treasury Department’s GoDirect website or calling the Electronic Payments Solutions Center at 800-333-1795.

The SSA can issue a waiver permitting paper payments in limited circumstances — for example, when a beneficiary lacks access to banking or internet services or has a severe impairment that makes managing electronic payments difficult. To request a waiver, call 855-290-1545 or submit a waiver form.

What if a payment is late or missing?

If a scheduled payment falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the SSA issues it on the last preceding business day — which accounts for several of the adjusted dates in July 2026.

If a payment doesn’t arrive on time, the SSA recommends checking with your bank or financial institution first, as posting delays can occur on that end. To report a late, missing or stolen payment, call Social Security’s national customer service line at 800-772-1213 or contact your local field office.

Beneficiaries with a My Social Security account can also verify their payment date online from their account home page. Those without an online account can call the customer service line and say, “Check delivery,” when prompted.

“The same way that you want to season a steak or a pork chop, you want to add multiple layers. And I think spice does that if you do it the right way," says Turner Greaves, bartender at New York’s Sip and Guzzle.

He makes a tequila highball called Doctor Green which he describes as “super-herbaceous, vegetal, a little bitter. It’s got tomatillo, green apple, shiso, horseradish, and then you can make it spicier with a little serrano pepper on the side.”

Customers get to add more spice with a little spice dropper delivered with their serve.

Cocktail tastes are changing from sweet to savory

James Stevenson, co-founder of Brutes of Mayfair cocktail bar in London, says drinks were very sweet when he started out 20 years ago, and now consumers' tastes have shifted.

“I think there’s a real movement toward savory cocktails," he says. "Every drink we put on the menu that is more savory or has a pickled element or spice element tends to be our bestseller.”

Stevenson makes a mezcal-based Bagheera which he describes as a turbo-spiced margarita.

“We juice (blend) rather than shaking the drink, with fresh chile and coriander," he says. They make a fresh syrup, adding tequila and freshly squeezed lime, and finish off the drink with a house-made tajin salt rim.

Agave spirits are a good match for spicy and savory

It's no coincidence both bartenders picked agave-based spirits — tequila and mezcal — for their spicy offerings.

Stevenson explains that a lot of the flavor profiles you get from agaves are fresher, more vegetal than other spirits. “They’re just very akin to chiles" he says. Noting that tequila pairs well with salt, he adds, "Spice and savory flavors are just a natural kinship.”

Alex Lyoness, bar manager at London’s FlipDog, makes his Late Night cocktail with a hint of an after-hours kebab and pickles. He uses a white tequila and a Raicilla (an agave similar to mezcal). Soy sauce brings a deep flavor, he says, and a homemade chile tincture spices things up.

He then adds an onion and olive brine “like the ultimate dirty martini,” and garnishes with a bright pink pickled turnip.

Looking for a tingly feeling

But chiles aren't the only way to add spice. Lyoness says you're looking to create a “mouthfeel.” He uses Sichuan peppercorns and the Timur berry, which he says has a cool, numbing quality. “What you’re looking for is that tingling across the palate,” he says.

Greaves recommends bringing a little classic cooking into your drinks.

“You can add ginger, you can add garlic cloves, and star anise and fennel into these drinks, and it adds so many different elements of pepper, of spice. Go home and then throw cayenne into a margarita,” he says.

How hot is too hot?

To judge the heat, try to read it on your palate, says Greaves: “If it starts creeping all the way down to your esophagus, I think that’s definitely a spice level that you can loosen up a bit.”

A good spicy drink should “give you the itches on the sides of your mouth” but not overwhelm, he says.

And don’t forget that no two chiles are the same.

“It’s all about tasting, trying and tweaking,” Anderson says.

Adding a spicy rim to your glass is an easy way to get extra kick

For a spicy rim, mix any spices from your cupboard with a good rock salt, says Anderson. (You can freshly grind the spices for a more aromatic and vibrant mix.)

He recommends coriander seed for a more citrusy mix, and black pepper or cardamom powder for a savory feel. You can even try adding fruit powders.

“Something like a freeze-dried strawberry, freeze-dried raspberry, with a little bit of spice. It’s great,” Anderson says.

Then, simply run a lemon or lime wedge along the rim of your glass and gently roll it in a shallow plate of the salt mix.

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Recipes:

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Late Night – from FlipDog London

Ingredients

1 oz. Tapatio blanco (tequila)

34 oz. La Venenosa Costa Raicilla

34 oz. Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fino (dry sherry)

0.66 oz. brine mix (onion, olive, sivri pepper)

2 drops chile tincture(asterisk)

Directions: Stir together all the ingredients with ice. Serve in a chilled martini glass. Add a pickled turnip to garnish

(asterisk)Chile tincture: Submerge chiles in a sealed jar with a high-proof neutral alcohol like vodka (approx. 1-2 small chiles per 3.5 oz. of alcohol) and leave to steep for up to two weeks, shaking the jar occasionally. Then strain and transfer the contents into an eyedropper bottle.

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Bagheera - from Brutes of Mayfair, London

Ingredients

1.75 oz. Lost Explorer mezcal

0.75 oz. fresh lime juice

68 oz. Bagheera syrup(asterisk)

Small pinch of salt

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over cracked ice. Rim the glass with Tajin

(asterisk)Bagheera Syrup:

Ingredients

7.5 oz. simple sugar syrup

½ supermarket bunch of fresh cilantro, including stalks

1 small Thai green chile

3 jalapeño chiles

1/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder), to stop the cilantro from turning brown

1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder

1 thumb-size piece of peeled fresh ginger

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large container or blender. Blend until the coriander and chiles have completely broken down and the mixture is well combined. Strain through a fine mesh strainer bag or muslin cloth. Transfer to a clean container and refrigerate.

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Doctor Green - (Sip & Guzzle, New York)

Ingredients

34 oz. green apple juice

34 oz. tomatillo juice

24 oz. green tequila(asterisk)

6 oz. Sauternes

Directions: Juice tomatillo and green apple and whisk in 2 grams ascorbic powder and 4 grams pectinase powder per liter of juice until dissolved.

Rest at room temperature or in the fridge for at least one to two hours until the juice splits into clear liquid and sediment layers. Combine all ingredients and strain through a fine mesh strainer until clear. Carbonate using a specialist drinks carbonator.

(asterisk)To make the green tequila

68 oz. Patron tequila

0.25 oz. shiso

0.25 oz. fennel

0.25 oz. horseradish

2 pcs star anise

Method: Combine the ingredients and allow to infuse at room temperature for 24 hours.

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5 songs to drink spicy cocktails to:

“Hot Stuff” – Donna Summer

“Hot in Herre”– Nelly

“Spice up your Life” – The Spice Girls

“Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot” – The Merrymen

“Drop it like its Hot” - Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell

The move comes after Pearson was designated for assignment by the Astros on Sunday. He went 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in 16 games this season.

The veteran is 10-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 139 career games over six MLB seasons that included stops in Toronto and with the Chicago Cubs.

The 22-year-old Martin is 6-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 26 relief appearances across two levels of Class-A ball this season. The right-hander was a 10th-round pick in the 2025 draft.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The FA said Wednesday that Eckert had been charged for three incidents that came to light during the end of season playoffs.

Southampton was expelled from the Championship playoff final in May after admitting to spying on other teams, including semifinal opponent Middlesbrough.

The FA said it was alleged Eckert acted in an “improper manner and/or brought the game into disrepute” by authorizing the observation of opponents' training sessions.

Southampton was charged by the English Football League with the unauthorized filming of Middlesbrough’s practice sessions ahead of their two-legged semifinal, which it went on to win and go within one game of promotion to the Premier League.

It was expelled from the final after admitting to spying on Oxford United and Ipswich earlier in the season. The EFL also imposed a four-point deduction for next season, while Middlesbrough was reinstated to the final, which it lost 1-0 to Hull City.

An arbitration panel laid bare the influence of Eckert in the scandal, saying it was “a contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage” and analysts who carried out the unauthorized filming “felt pressurised to do the observations that Mr. Eckert and the senior coaches wished them to do.”

Expulsion from the playoffs deprived Southampton of the chance of promotion to the top flight and a guaranteed windfall of at least $270 million in future earnings.

Despite the controversy Southampton said it was sticking by its coach.

“As a board, we are fully behind him,” owner Dragan Šolak said in June, “and together we only have one objective — we want promotion back to (the) Premier League.”

Eckert also said in June that he had “made a mistake” and took “full responsibility.”

Eckert has until July 28 to respond to the FA charges.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

When you think of scratch off or general lottery tickets, you probably think the odds are against you and there’s no rhyme or reason to it.

Well, we have found there are some stores that appear luckier than others, specifically one store in Northwest Jacksonville. It’s a store that has made the news before for its apparent luck.

That is the Shell station at the intersection of Edgewood Avenue and Avenue B in Northwest Jacksonville.

Back in 2015, News4Jax looked into the top stores statewide that sell tickets that paid $600 or more. At that level of winning, winners are required to fill out a claim form, which includes where the ticket was purchased. For that reason, we’re able to find out which retailers are selling tickets that lead to bigger prizes. At the time, the Edgewood Shell ranked as second in the state.

That trend remains for this same small gas station. News4Jax pulled the numbers for 2017 and 2018 and that same Shell station is still the dominant top seller for Northeast Florida.

It sold more winning tickets worth $600 or more in 2017 and 2018, with a total of 156 of those winners. That may be partially due to the fact that the store sells more tickets than others. The store sold 2,170,836 tickets in draw games during that time, and more scratch-off tickets than any other store in the region with 1,043,174 scratch-offs sold during that period.

Three other retailers in the area also sold more than 100 tickets worth $600 or more in this time frame: Publix #1177 on Merrill Road (103 winners), Day N Nite Food Store on Lem Turner Road (102 winners) and One Stop Chevron #2 on U.S. 90 in Lake City (102 winners).

Scroll to the bottom of this story to view an interactive map showing details on which stores near you most frequently sell winning lottery tickets and scratch-offs (App users click here).

And there’s also the question of which games pay out the most big winners. Based on the same lottery data – looking at winners of $600 or more – Pick 4 resulted in the most winners, followed by several scratch-off games. Keep in mind, other games may lead to bigger prizes, but these are the games resulting in the most winners of $600 or more.

In our research, we also found there are certain frequent players of lotto games that have won a lot between 2017 and 2018.

In our region the most frequent winner was a woman named Hasumati Patel. She purchased 48 winning tickets worth $70,500 during this two-year window. All the tickets were purchased from Columbia Discount Beverage in Lake City.

We traveled to Columbia Discount Beverage to ask about it. Turns out, her husband Nick Patel is the owner of the store. “Well buying by the bulk,” he said. “More chances to win or something like that.”

Being that Patel’s wife was the winner on so many tickets we reached out to the Florida Lottery to make sure there weren’t any legal issues with a lottery distributor’s wife purchasing tickets. The Lottery said there’s not. Only employees of the Florida Lottery are not allowed to purchase tickets. However, individual vendors at stores like Columbia Discount Beverage are allowed to buy as many tickets as they want.

Rubio spoke at the start of an annual meeting in the Philippine capital, Manila, with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations who have expressed alarm over the resurgent fighting in the Middle East that has battered their region. Despite Washington’s preoccupation with Iran, Rubio said, “We’re with ASEAN 100%.”

“If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region,” he said.

Washington's top diplomat also renewed allegations that Iran has reneged on commitments under a collapsed interim ceasefire deal. Rubio said Iran “has been reaching out to the United States, both directly and indirectly, to engage in talks about settling the differences.” He said that while “the U.S. would love to reach a diplomatic settlement," the Trump administration is “not going to sit by and let ships be blown up or Americans be attacked.”

Top diplomats from the U.S., China, Russia and several other countries are in Manila this week to take part in at the ASEAN ministerial gathering. Newly minted British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was arriving Wednesday, his office said.

Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, told reporters that Moscow would like to see a quick settlement between the U.S. and Iran.

“There are those eager to incite each party to keep the conflict going, but we aren’t one of those,” he said.

“We would like to see it stop — it impacts the global economy and Russia is part of the global economy,” Lavrov said, adding that Moscow is “interested in stable global energy prices to pursue long-term economic policies.”

Southeast Asia hit hard by energy shock from Iran war

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong underscored her country's concern over the renewed attacks in the Middle East, warning that “the situation could deteriorate further without much warning.”

“We want to see an end to this war. We want to see a ceasefire. We want to see negotiations and we want the strait to be opened,” Wong told reporters.

“People are being affected by what is happening and has happened to global energy markets and the effect on people has been direct and personal,” she said.

Overreliance on fossil fuel imports from the Middle East has made Southeast Asia particularly vulnerable to the energy shock triggered by the Iran war, according to the International Energy Agency, which called the crisis a “stark wake-up call” for the region’s energy security.

Asian markets imported about 80% of the crude oil and almost 90% of the liquefied natural gas, or LNG, transiting through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, the IEA said.

Rubio and allies reaffirm commitment to counter growing Chinese influence

Rubio also met with counterparts in the four-nation Quad partnership, which is made up of the U.S., Australia, India and Japan. They discussed maritime and transnational security, among other issues, and issued a joint statement that reaffirmed their commitment to maritime security initiatives aiming to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

During the meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi voiced strong opposition to any attempts to change the status quo by force in the region, including in the disputed South China Sea and East China Sea, where China's increasingly aggressive actions have sparked concern.

Tokyo has a long-running dispute over Japan-controlled islands, which Beijing also claims, in the East China Sea.

Wong echoed his concern, saying, “We have real concerns about behavior that is destabilizing and risky.”

The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized China's assertive actions in the South China Sea to the disadvantage of smaller claimant countries like the Philippines, Washington's oldest treaty ally in Asia.

Rubio met separately with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, telling reporters later that they discussed a new altercation this week between Chinese and Filipino forces in a disputed shoal. Rubio called the incident “escalatory."

“It speaks to areas of disagreement when it comes to our policies with China,” Rubio said. “Those need to be managed very carefully, because obviously, a conflict — be it economic or otherwise — between the U.S. and China would have a dramatic global impact.”

He said they also talked about a trade board that is meant to allow the two governments to discuss certain goods, and that he hopes it can be a “deliverable” from a planned meeting in the U.S. in September between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Wang protested to Rubio about “recent negative words and actions by the U.S. side,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It was not clear what he referred to, but Trump recently accused China of meddling in the 2020 election and the U.S. administration shortened visas for Chinese journalists.

ASEAN foreign ministers discussed the territorial disputes Tuesday, welcoming progress in yearslong negotiations between China and their regional bloc on a proposed non-aggression pact that aims to prevent a major conflict in the disputed waters that could draw in the United States.

Rubio and Lavrov to discuss Ukraine

Rubio said he will meet Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, on Thursday and discuss the war in Ukraine. He suggested he also would use the meeting to find other areas of potential cooperation between the U.S. and Russia.

He said the U.S. remains open to playing a role in ending the conflict “if that opportunity presents itself.”

Rubio said those efforts have “kind of fallen off a little bit over the last few months” but he will use the meeting with Lavrov to see if there’s an opportunity to renew talks.

Lavrov, meanwhile, said he will ask Rubio about Trump’s claim that a settlement on the war in Ukraine is getting close.

Rubio also met with his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, a U.S. official said. They discussed both regional issues and the Iran war, along with a yet-to-be completed trade agreement to lower Trump’s tariffs on Indian goods.

___

Associated Press journalists Haruka Nuga and Anton Delgado in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Fu Ting in Washington contributed to this report.

Expect another hot and humid day across Northeast Florida, with a mix of sunshine and passing clouds through the morning and early afternoon.

Temperatures will climb into the mid 90s, and when you factor in the humidity, it’ll feel closer to the triple digits.

As the seabreeze develops later today, scattered thunderstorms are expected to pop up, especially during the late afternoon and early evening.

While not everyone will see rain, any storm that forms could produce heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and gusty winds before moving out.

Keep the umbrella handy, stay hydrated if you’re spending time outdoors, and remember to seek shelter if thunder roars.

Skies will gradually clear tonight with warm and muggy conditions, as temperatures settle into the mid-70s.

Have a wonderful day, Jacksonville!

Deputies and Lake City officers responded to reports of an active shooting at El Potro Mexican Restaurant on Tuesday and heard gunfire coming from the parking lot, the sheriff’s office said.

As officers moved toward the sound, they encountered an armed man and gave several commands to drop the weapon. Instead, the man raised the firearm and shot himself.

Deputies secured the scene and provided first aid until paramedics arrived. The man was taken to an area hospital with severe injuries. No law enforcement officers were injured, and none fired their weapons, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators are continuing to look into what happened before officers arrived, and there is no known ongoing danger to the public.

Anyone with information about the shooting, what led up to it, or who was at the restaurant is asked to contact the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at (386) 752-3222, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or the dispatch center at (386) 719-2005, available 24/7.

Tips may be made anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Columbia County at (386) 754-7099 or at www.columbiacrimestoppers.net.

Click here for a list of suicide resources.

The Florida Department of Transportation said the closures, which are part of First Coast Expressway construction, will be from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday on July 24-27, July 31-Aug. 3 and Aug. 7-10.

The closures are necessary to allow for pipe installation across the roadway, transportation officials said.

During the closures, traffic that needs to get from Timberwolf Trail to River Reach Parkway (or vice versa) will need to detour on a 12-mile loop along State Road 16 and State Road 13, which is about a 20-minute drive. (See map above)

Typically, it takes about 4 minutes for drivers to travel from Timberwolf Trail to River Reach Parkway on CR 16A, so be prepared for extra travel time.

The first dinner was cut short in April when a gunman, who prosecutors say was trying to assassinate Trump, opened fire at the Washington Hilton. The much smaller rescheduled dinner will take place Friday, with enhanced security precautions, at the capital's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, formerly the Trump International Hotel.

The letter expands on a similar one issued in April, before the first dinner. It notes that since then, “the administration’s attacks on journalists and press freedom have become even more egregious.”

The letter, organized by former ABC News correspondent Lisa Stark and producer Ian Cameron, cites in particular the recent subpoenas by the Justice Department to New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns over the president's Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. Additional subpoenas of the journalists' phone records have included even the mother of one reporter, and two spouses.

They want the association to stand up ‘forcefully’

The letter also cites threats by Trump to revoke licenses of broadcasters “who refuse to acquiesce to his demands.”

“Our message to the White House Correspondents’ Association is now more urgent: forcefully stand up for freedom of the press in front of the President, publicly defend the journalists he attacks, and vow to resist his administration’s concerted effort to undermine the First Amendment,” the letter says.

It notes that the association's president, Weijia Jiang, has defined the dinner’s purpose as being “to celebrate the First Amendment and the hard daily work of the journalists who defend it.”

“We believe it is hypocritical to celebrate the First Amendment in front of the man who relentlessly attacks it," the letter says. "We urge the WHCA to condemn the administration’s actions from the podium and pledge to fight all attempts by his administration to undermine this core pillar of a functioning democracy.”

There are multiple signatories

The groups signing on to the letter are the Society of Professional Journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Coalition for Women in Journalism, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the Media and Democracy Project.

There are also about 520 individual signatories, mainly retired journalists. Almost all of them signed the April letter as well.

Trump has said he would be attending Friday's rescheduled dinner, calling the plan to go ahead with the event “a sign of Strength and Fortitude.”

“This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He added that he hadn’t decided whether to give his originally intended speech, in which he was widely expected to attack the press. “I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out,” he wrote. “In any event, it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket!”

The utility review is part of the project’s early permitting process and would assess impacts to water, sewer and electric service, the report said. Details about site ownership, funding, a construction schedule and any required service upgrades were not immediately available.

Projects of this size typically require multiple city and utility reviews, including site plans, engineering comments and utility service letters. Coordination between military planners, the applicant and municipal officials is common for facilities used for training and support activities.

News4JAX reached out to the U.S. Army and did not immediately receive a response.

Click here to read the full story.

Leonard Bryant Sr., 43, is charged with murder in the death of 26-year-old Toby Robinson, four counts of attempted murder for the three adults and one child who were also in the car, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Bryant will be subject to a minimum mandatory of at least 25 years in prison if convicted of murder and attempted murder charges.

Bryant will be back in court Wednesday, Aug. 12, for a pretrial hearing.

Detectives spent nine months investigating the Sept. 18, 2025, shooting and used multiple investigative tools to identify Bryant as the road rage shooter, police said. He was taken into custody on June 19 after a SWAT team located him.

RELATED | ‘Pops got dumb wit da drac’: Son’s messages point finger at father in deadly road-rage shooting, arrest report shows

Bryant’s son, 22-year-old Leonard Bryant Jr., was arrested on Dec. 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty to an accessory charge on June 4, 2026.

Bryant Jr. will be back in court on Aug. 20 for a status hearing.’

What happened

According to Bryant Jr.’s arrest report, police interviewed the three shooting survivors, a 28-year-old woman, a 29-year-old man and an 18-year-old man, and all three gave similar accounts of their encounter with a black Dodge Charger that police later determined was registered to Bryant Sr.

A 3-year-old girl in the vehicle was not hurt, police said.

The group said they were in a white Chevy Impala, headed home on I-10 eastbound around 7:45 p.m., when they got into an argument while in traffic with the driver of the Charger. They described it as “scat” style with dark tint, black rims, a wide body and a hood scoop.

The three survivors all said that after the argument, the Charger drove up aggressively behind them and then kept pace with them, driving up on either side of their car, despite their attempts to slow down and let the Charger pass.

The woman, who was driving the Impala, said that as the two cars entered the flyover curve from I-10 onto I-95 north, she saw gunfire coming from the Charger and felt a round hit her in the leg.

She stopped on the side of the highway and called 911.

According to the report, Bryant Jr. told police that his father had grabbed a Century Arms Micro Draco in the car that belonged to Bryant Jr. and shot multiple times at the white car.

Police said they found 14 bullet holes in the side of the Impala, along with 12 .762mm shell casings on the highway.

Bryant Jr. told investigators he’d bought the semi-automatic gun from a pawn shop in late April. When they asked if he still had it, he said he’d sold it to a friend from work.

Tracking down the shooter

In a news release about the arrests of the father and son, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said detectives spent nine months investigating the shooting and “used multiple investigative tools” to identify the suspect.

Bryant Jr.’s arrest report sheds more light on exactly how investigators tracked down Bryant Jr. and his father.

According to the report, the woman who survived the shooting gave police her phone, and they were able to use its data to show her car was exactly where she said it was at the time of the shooting.

Then, investigators used a search warrant to get cell tower data from the driving route, and said they found that Bryant Jr.’s phone was “in close proximity” to the woman’s phone throughout the time of the encounter, before speeding away northbound when the woman’s phone stopped, and she called 911.

Investigators were able to use information from another carrier to show that another phone traveling next to the Impala during the incident was associated with a 2020 black Charger, which was registered to Leonard Bryant Sr.

With data now pointing them to the Bryants, investigators started digging into the son’s social media accounts and cellphone data.

Bryant Jr.’s Instagram account was involved in a group chat that investigators flagged because of multiple comments that appeared to be related to the shooting, including:

• “Aye I gotta talk to u boys I probably gotta lay low”
• “Pops got dumb wit da drac”
• “Ran it up to 156”
• “We was in the car”

A download of Bryant Jr.’s iCloud account also revealed a series of texts with his 20-year-old girlfriend, who expressed concern after investigators say he told her about the incident.

Police said that just 30 minutes after the shooting, Bryant Jr. messaged his girlfriend, listed in the report as A.A., to say he needed to talk to her in person. The conversation continued:

• Bryant Jr: Ears ringing
• A.A.: Questioned “With you in the car?”
• A.A.: Arguing with who
• A.A.: Idk if I want you over there
• A.A.: If he got anger issues like that
• A.A.: You have to tell your mother now
• A.A.: It doesn’t matter how mad you can be at the moment. If you have your son in the car and feel the need to shoot at another car. Also, with you son gun you need to sit your a** down. That could’ve been really bad for y’all and still can be. What if they had cameras in the area.

The public can tour the majestic room and view its gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes en route to the nearby Mona Lisa, but they won’t see any crown jewels or empty display cases. The collections and precious jewels once displayed there have been removed, as the museum said the gallery is returning to its 17th-century original ceremonial purpose.

The stolen jewels remain unrecovered nine months later.

The gallery's former exhibits will be relocated elsewhere in the museum, said Christophe Leribault, the Louvre's director. “It’s also an opportunity to rediscover the splendid architecture and decor of this gallery,” he said.

Leribault was named to lead the Louvre in February after previous director Laurence des Cars resigned after the October crown jewels heist and a string of failures that battered confidence in the leadership of the world’s most-visited museum.

“That sinister day, when iconic pieces were taken, cannot be forgotten, and indeed, I believe, should not be,” said French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard. “It was a trauma for the entire world, which, for several days, expressed its shock and sadness in every language. It was a trauma for us, discovering the fragility of a place we thought unshakeable, and which, like so many others, proved vulnerable.”

Security at the Paris museum has been boosted with the addition of new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems.

On the day of the heist, thieves took less than eight minutes to force their way through a window into the Apollo Gallery and steal crown jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million), in a weekend operation that stunned visitors and exposed glaring security vulnerabilities.

Security improvement is a priority of the decade-long “Louvre New Renaissance” plan launched last year, with an estimated cost of up to 800 million euros ($933 million) to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031.

It hasn't worked out that way. With a little more than three months to go, both parties are grappling with self-inflicted wounds and messy missteps that have complicated their paths to victory in key races.

Trump steered the country into a war against Iran with no end in sight, disrupting the global flow of oil and spiking prices at the pump. He remains fixated on purging his party of dissent and relitigating his election defeat six years ago.

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are in the throes of an internal civil war between moderates and progressives, as democratic socialists successfully oust incumbents. Some candidates have imploded in spectacular fashion, jeopardizing races the party had expected to win.

The drama has turned existential as each party faces a moment of reckoning. Democrats remain shaken by Trump being elected again and are desperately searching for a path back to power. Republicans are beginning to contemplate a post-Trump era even as the president maintains an iron grip on the party.

Frank Luntz, a longtime pollster, said the year has been consumed by “a sense of chaos and confusion.”

“We really do not know what’s going to happen in November," he said.

Candidates have been rocked by scandal

Democrats' latest turmoil has unfolded in Wisconsin, one of the most narrowly divided battleground states.

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez abandoned her bid for governor after a campaign finance scandal just as she seemed to be consolidating support. Now the party establishment is concerned her departure will elevate Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist who's viewed by party leaders as a potentially weak opponent against U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the likely Republican nominee.

“If we lose, Trump’s most loyal lackey in Congress takes control of Wisconsin, and that’s turned regular Democratic angst into flop sweats,” said longtime Wisconsin liberal activist Scot Ross. Still, he predicted that once the focus moves past the primary fight, Democratic voters would unite behind the party's candidate.

Then there's Maine, where the party is eager to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins as part of a nationwide push to regain control of the chamber.

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and political outsider, rode a wave of grassroots energy to the Democratic nomination, only to drop out after an allegation of sexual assault, which he denies.

Supporters had hoped Platner would be the kind of candidate who could win white working-class voters back to the party, despite controversies including a tattoo widely recognized as a Nazi symbol and a history of inflammatory social media posts. Democrats are holding a convention this weekend to choose a replacement candidate.

Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster and consultant, said activists and voters have been willing to overlook potential vulnerabilities while supporting outsiders for office.

“There is something in the air that has made these candidates incredibly reckless and thinking that they can get away with it," she said, pointing to the president as a potential explanation. “I think Trump has kind of created a high-risk environment."

Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Trump's first-term vice president, Mike Pence, said the dynamic was reminiscent of 2010 when the tea party ushered in a wave of unvetted Republican candidates who famously beat establishment figures in primaries but lost in November, costing Republicans the Senate even as they made gains in the House.

The shoe, he said, is now on the other foot.

“I feel like when there is a lot of energy on one side that you can tend to nominate candidates that create hurdles for you and limit what your gains could be,” he said.

Divisions between Democrats are on display in key races

Other races are forcing Democrats to confront some of their deepest divisions.

In Michigan, Senate candidate and progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed has worried party leaders like Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer who fear he's too far left to win in the seat, which Democrats will need to hold onto if they want a shot at winning the majority this year. Supporters point to the enthusiasm he's garnered as a way forward for the party.

The primary also highlights a schism over Israel. El-Sayed has described Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a genocide, an accusation rejected by Israel and the White House. In response, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, and its affiliated groups have spent close to $30 million backing primary rival Haley Stevens.

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said it's clear voters across the country are rebelling against a political system they see as rigged and are yearning for candidates willing to fight on their behalf.

He said candidates like El-Sayed would serve as proof of concept going into 2028 that “bold, shake-up-the system economic fighters" are more electable in purple and red states than "stale, status quo corporate-aligned Democrats.”

In Washington, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., downplayed the idea the ideological divisions would endanger Democrats.

“A healthy party is a party that has arguments," he said. “I think our party should be debating ideas. We should be having hotly contested primaries."

Republicans rocked by retirements and ousted incumbents

Republicans are facing their own challenges as they try to buck historical precedent and maintain congressional control.

Trump reshaped this year’s Senate map by sidelining some Republican incumbents and promoting loyalists to replace them. That includes in Texas, where he ousted longtime Sen. John Cornyn and endorsed Ken Paxton, a fiery conservative with a lengthy history of corruption allegations.

Republican leaders had warned his nomination would put the state in play and force the party to spend millions of dollars defending what would have otherwise been a safe seat.

Others chose to leave the party. In North Carolina, Sen. Thom Tillis declined to run for reelection after feuding with Trump. Democrats hope to flip the seat with former Gov. Roy Cooper.

Whit Ayres, a longtime Republican pollster and strategist, said Trump “has exacerbated the problem” of a political culture that has produced more extreme candidates on both sides of the aisle thanks to closed primaries.

Trump can boost candidates — or hold them back

Republicans have historically struggled when Trump isn't on the ballot. But he also risks weighing candidates down.

Just 37% of U.S. adults approve of how he's handling the presidency, according to the most recent AP-NORC poll, which shows deep dissatisfactions over his handling of the economy and other issues.

But instead of staying focused on lowering prices, Trump has continued his bombardment of Iran in a struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies. He also delivered a primetime address in which he continued to dispute his 2020 loss in an appeal for more restrictive voting laws.

“Trump is our biggest ally," said Lake, the Democratic pollster and consultant. “He’s the best things that Democrats have going. And it’s the gift that keeps on going."

But Jenny Beth Martin, chair of the grassroots conservative group Tea Party Patriots Action, disagreed.

“President Trump is the single greatest advantage Republicans have in the midterm elections," she said in a statement. “The energy and enthusiasm he generates is incomparable, and we’re counting on him to motivate his supporters to go to the polls.”

___

Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., and Steven Sloan in Washington contributed to this report.

The 32-year-old South Korean singer's second full-length album looks back on a decade of change as she moves from the uncertainty of her early 20s.

“It has seven tracks, and they reflect the emotions and feelings I’ve experienced from my early 20s until now — like a chronicle of my life,” Kim told The Associated Press.

The album, released seven years after her last major project, the 2019 EP “GENERASIAN,” marks a return for an artist who has spent her career shifting between genres and exploring questions of identity, belonging and self-discovery. It arrives 13 years after her debut full-length album, “A Voice.”

When Kim released “GENERASIAN,” she said global interest in South Korea and its music, including K-pop, was still developing. She said the album came from a desire to speak about her own identity and perspective as an Asian woman born in South Korea.

“That was a period when no one had really told that story properly,” she said. “I wanted to show that perspective properly — not through the way it’s usually seen from abroad, but from my own point of view.”

Kim said her new album represents a move away from the broader cultural questions of “GENERASIAN” and toward a more personal reflection.

“After I finished ‘GENERASIAN,’ I thought about my next step for a long time,” she said. “Each album feels like a record of what I was feeling at that time, and then I move on. This time, I wanted to focus more on my own individual story.”

Kim broke through in 2011 as part of South Korean folk-pop duo Togeworl before launching her solo career in 2013. She won two Korean Music Awards in 2020.

The singer said the album’s title reflects the uncertainty she felt during the years it covers — a period she described as moving through a “wasteland” while searching for direction.

The album’s title track, “Never Gonna Be Alone,” begins at a wedding and explores the paradox of feeling most alone when surrounded by a bride and her guests. Kim said that feeling became more familiar as she entered her 30s and attended more weddings. The song’s warm, string-laden sound belies its unsettling lyrical undertone.

“INSA” — the Korean word for “greeting” — features rapper Bree Runway and plays on the formality of everyday exchanges Kim encountered when she entered the music industry. She said she often felt a sense of distance from the people and glamour around her.

“It wasn’t that I felt like one of them, but more this strange sense that I was somehow separate,” she recalled.

Kim said she hopes listeners who are also navigating uncertain futures can find something familiar in her journey. The album draws inspiration from South Korean novelist Yang Gui-ja, American writer Joan Didion and Studio Ghibli film “Spirited Away” — works that similarly explore self-identity and transformation.

The Florida Association of School Resource Officers is holding its annual conference in Jacksonville for the first time since the 1990s, bringing officers together to practice skills they hope they never have to use.

The training comes as school safety continues to be a concern for families nationwide.

Those concerns have pushed schools and law enforcement agencies to continue evaluating how they prepare for potential threats — from emergency response training to adding new layers of security.

In Duval County, News4JAX recently showed how the district is expanding its gun-detection K-9 program ahead of the new school year. The K-9 program is another piece of a broader approach to school safety that also includes trained school resource officers.

At the FASRO conference, officers are participating in hands-on exercises focused on classroom response, communication under stress, team movement and other scenarios designed to prepare them for emergencies.

For Sgt. Thomas Williams, vice president of FASRO and a member of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, preparing for those moments is only one part of the job.

Williams says school resource officers spend much of their time building trust with students — relationships that can become just as important as the training itself.

“A lot of people have to understand that our resource officers put in that time and energy behind the scenes,” Williams said. “They never see the fact that we are also mentors; some of us are father figures or mother figures.”

During the conference, Williams shared a moment that showed him the lasting impact those relationships can have.

He said during a recent detail with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, he saw a former student from his time as a school resource officer at Nease High School. That student was now a seven-year veteran with JSO.

“The kid that shows up is a seven-year veteran at JSO,” Williams said. “I was his resource officer way back when at Nease, and you start to think, wow, this is cool. I haven’t seen this guy in like 10 years.”

For Williams, seeing former students grow into adults is what makes the responsibility of the job personal.

“You get to the emotional side because these kids are your family,” Williams said.

He says the connection between officers and students is built through everyday interactions, conversations in hallways, guidance when students need it and simply being a consistent presence on campus.

“You see the difference because it’s not just you, it’s your kids, right? These kids are everything to us,” Williams said. “We come into this job to save people, to help people out, and that’s the biggest thing that we are here for.”

Williams says those relationships are often what students remember most, even years after they leave school.

The annual FASRO conference continues through Friday, with officers expected to take the training and lessons learned in Jacksonville back to schools and agencies across Florida.

A report issued Tuesday by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime estimated that scams caused estimated losses in the Asia-Pacific region alone of as much as $114 billion in 2025. It warned that even as authorities conduct raids on industrial-sized scam centers mostly located in border regions of Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, criminals have responded by shifting to other parts of the world or operating on a smaller scale.

Patel arrived in Cambodia from neighboring Thailand which co-hosted a two-day summit with the U.S. this week on scam centers that was attended by representatives of nearly 20 countries and hundreds of law enforcement officials.

The head of the top U.S. law enforcement agency met with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for talks on joint cooperation to tackle scam centers and other transnational crimes, such as human trafficking and drug trafficking, particularly through information sharing and intelligence exchanges.

Cybercrime has flourished in Southeast Asia where law enforcement is weak, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar. Scam centers are also linked to human trafficking. Thousands of foreign nationals who are employed to run “romance” and cryptocurrency scams to swindle victims are often recruited with false job offers and then forced to work in conditions of near-slavery.

Cambodia this year claims to have accelerated a crackdown on the scam operations, whose proliferation there is “a top priority for the U.S. government,” according a U.S. Embassy statement. Washington appreciates Hun Manet’s pledge to counter this problem and is coordinating closely with the Cambodian government to battle the problem, it said.

The embassy said Patel’s visit “reinforces the need for strong, joint efforts to combat transnational cybercrime, including increased efforts to hold high-level scam bosses accountable and for improved information sharing regarding complicit officials and scam compound owners.”

The U.S. also “fully supports efforts to ensure justice for victims and criminal accountability for online scam operators, those who enable or protect them, and those complicit in related human trafficking crimes,” it added.

Cambodia will host an international conference on combating cyber scams in September, Hun Manet said in a post on his Telegram social media account.

According to Kveglis’ reporting for the Tampa Bay news station, that incident and similar personal stories inspired the 22-year-old University of South Florida graduate student to co-found Elora Armor, which creates jewelry with a small sensor hidden inside bracelets, bag charms and pendants.

View this post on Instagram

The electromagnetic sensors are designed to test a drop of the drink and to alert wearers through a smartphone app when dangerous drugs, like benzodiazepines, have been slipped into their drinks.

“It’s like a really rude awakening of like, wow, there are people that really intend to do harm and there isn’t really anyone looking out for us except for ourselves,” Bounds told Kveglis.

Bounds and co-founder Kiara Robichaud told Kveglis that they plan to release the product in January 2028, just before the Summer Olympics, and hope it will become part of a national movement to prevent drink spiking.