The King County prosecutor’s office filed charges of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement as well as unlawful possession of a handgun by someone under 18. In a statement supporting the charges, police said the teen was seen firing an untraceable ghost gun into a crowd, but preliminary testing of bullets recovered from two bystanders killed showed they did not match that weapon.

Shell casings found at the scene of Sunday’s shooting indicate four weapons were fired during the shootout.

Police say a 19-year-old suspect involved in the shooting was shot and killed at the scene. Police have been trying to identify at least one other person involved in the shooting. The statement did not indicate who might have fired the bullets that killed the bystanders.

The decision, at least for now, shielded Fauci from answering questions that could expose him to accusations of lying under oath. Though he received a pardon in early 2025 from Democratic President Joe Biden, some Republicans pursuing a yearslong campaign for his arrest had suggested he could still face charges for any perjury committed during Wednesday’s hearing.

The scientist, who helped lead the nation’s COVID-19 response, was subpoenaed to testify under oath by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has long had an antagonistic relationship with Fauci.

In response to angry, sometimes mocking questions from Republican senators, Fauci declined to answer more than 100 times, injecting new drama into partisan divides that have festered for years about the origins and handling of the pandemic. Fauci himself has become a polarizing figure, even receiving death threats that prompted him to seek security.

In his opening statement, Fauci said Paul has an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution.”

“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars,'” Fauci said, adding that while it pained him to do so, he was following his attorney’s advice by taking the Fifth.

Paul, who has long argued that Fauci should be criminally investigated, based on his belief that the scientist was dishonest in previous testimony to Congress, announced that the committee will vote next week on whether to hold Fauci in contempt for declining to answer questions.

He did not say whether he would push for a criminal contempt referral to federal prosecutors or another charge. He also raised questions about whether Fauci’s pardon affects his eligibility for Fifth Amendment protections.

Republicans accuse Fauci of lying while Democrats say he didn't deserve that

In the combative hearing, Paul and other Republicans accused Fauci of lying in earlier testimony about the coronavirus’ origins, something the longtime National Institutes of Health scientist has forcefully denied. Democrats called the hearing a politically motivated attempt at entrapping Fauci and praised the scientist for his work during the pandemic.

With Fauci declining to answer questions throughout, Paul dominated the approximately three-hour hearing, listing a litany of accusations and detailed questions.

“Today will be the capstone to Anthony Fauci's 40 years of abuse of power at NIH,” Paul said. “History will judge, but the facts as we now know them paint a sordid tale of dishonesty, misjudgment and ultimately the hubris, the likes of which the world has never seen.”

In a heated moment during the hearing, Paul ejected Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, from the room after he tried to speak without being recognized. In a statement, Schertler said the removal was “outrageous and demonstrates the completely biased and baseless nature of this proceeding.” In another statement, he called Paul’s accusations about Fauci “false and disgraceful.”

Democratic senators praised Fauci and said he didn’t deserve the treatment he was getting.

“This hearing is designed to entrap you,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.

Paul released some of Fauci's diary

Leading up to the hearing, Paul released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary covering the pandemic years. Pointing to some notes about early efforts at understanding how the virus emerged, Paul said on social media that what Fauci “wrote privately and what he told the country are two different stories.”

Some of the diary entries — including Fauci’s uncertainty in the pandemic’s earliest days as scientists around the world raced to understand the new virus and how best to curb it before vaccines could be created — already were reflected in a 2024 memoir and in interviews at the time.

But they have nonetheless drawn attention from people who blame Fauci for mask mandates, school closures and other policies they believe infringed on their rights as hundreds of thousands of people were dying.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday wrote on social media that he stopped relying on Fauci over the course of the pandemic because he felt the scientist made bad decisions about masks, shutdowns, and other issues. He later told reporters he watched the entire hearing.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering public office, said on social media that his department had found the diary entries on government property and had given them to the committee.

Dozens of disease experts defend Fauci in letter

Scientists also scrambled to Fauci’s defense ahead of the unusual hearing — the second time he has been back before Congress to discuss pandemic origins since leaving the government in 2022. While the COVID-19 pandemic introduced him to millions of Americans, he talked the nation through numerous outbreaks over decades, including HIV, Ebola and the 2001 anthrax attacks, while advising seven presidents.

In a public letter, more than 150 infectious-disease experts and other scientists wrote that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges” and that they are urging elected officials to “stop these witch-hunts.”

Among topics discussed at Wednesday's hearing was whether NIH-funded research in China may have played a role in how the pandemic started.

Many scientists believe the virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to people, coming to light when it spread at a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There’s no new scientific evidence supporting the theory that the virus might instead have leaked from a laboratory, a theory Paul champions. A GOP-led subcommittee that studied the question in 2024 found no evidence linking Fauci to wrongdoing.

Fauci has long said publicly that he was open to both theories but that there’s more evidence supporting COVID-19’s natural origins.

Republicans also have accused Fauci of lying about whether his agency funded what's known as gain-of-function research — the practice of enhancing a virus in a lab to study its potential real-world impact — at a lab in Wuhan.

The NIH, for years, gave grants to a New York nonprofit called EcoHealth Alliance, which used some of the funds to work with a Chinese lab studying coronaviruses commonly carried by bats. But the definition of gain-of-function covers both general research and especially risky experiments that enhance the ability of potential pandemic viruses to spread or cause severe disease in humans. Fauci has previously stressed he was using the risky experiment definition and “it would be molecularly impossible” for those bat virus experiments to have turned into the pandemic virus.

Trump, a Republican, paused some federally funded gain-of-function research last year, and on Tuesday his administration announced new rules to tighten oversight.

___

Swenson reported from New York.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___

Follow the AP's coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

The indictment against Cloth, 60, was unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Cloth was arrested the same day in Los Angeles, where he made his first court appearance, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said.

The indictment alleges Cloth solicited money from investors, telling them the funds would be used for a film or a video game platform. Instead, the indictment alleges, he used the money for other projects like a Canadian real estate development and to pay off earlier investors.

Court records do not reveal if Cloth has obtained an attorney in the criminal case. Several attorneys representing Cloth in lawsuits in Florida and California did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The indictment says Cloth operated a Canada-based company called Creative Wealth Media Finance Corp., and that starting in 2019 he solicited money from several clients to invest in film and entertainment projects. The indictment says he got more than $100 million from one investment adviser in Illinois, the adviser's clients and others, and that he lied to the investors about the value of their investments.

He's charged with seven counts of wire fraud, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Cloth is also being asked to forfeit more than $12 million. The FBI asked that anyone who believes they might have been a victim contact the agency's Chicago office by filling out an online form.

It's not the first time the film financier has faced allegations of financial misdeeds. He's been named in several lawsuits from investors in recent years, including a class-action lawsuit alleging film-funding fraud in Chicago, a Florida lawsuit from an investor who says Cloth's company breached contracts for several entertainment loans, and a lawsuit from investors in New York that was later dismissed. Cloth has fought the claims in Chicago and Florida, and those cases are ongoing.

Last year the Ontario Securities Commission started an enforcement proceeding against Cloth and his company, bringing allegations that are similar to the Illinois indictment. The commission alleges Cloth and his company raised more than $500 million from investors for various film and television projects, and then diverted $70 million of the funds to other uses, like repaying earlier investors. That case is ongoing.

___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho.

The Cape Verde goalkeeper was scheduled to be with Colo Colo by Wednesday, but Chile’s biggest and most successful club says Vozinha's trip has been delayed because of paperwork. They're hopeful of a Thursday arrival.

Vozinha was still able to wear a jersey Wednesday though — by donning Spider-Man gear as part of a Sony Pictures Brazil campaign promoting “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” On Instagram, Vozinha encouraged his 29.6 million followers — up from under 50,000 before the World Cup — to go see the film.

Meanwhile, Colo Colo is also racing to resolve some issues regarding Vozinha.

The most pressing concern is the name that will appear on the goalkeeper’s jersey. Regulations from the Chilean National Association of Professional Football (ANFP) require players to use their surname. This means that Vozinha — whose real name is Josimar José Évora Dias — would not be allowed to use the nickname that made him famous around the world.

That would be a setback not only for the player — whose moniker means “grandma” in Portuguese, a tribute to the woman who raised him — but also to the personal brand he has built worldwide.

According to ANFP regulations, “nicknames, appellations, or sobriquets will not be permitted” in the domestic competition. Players who fail to comply face an administrative yellow card, while their clubs can be fined up to $875.

Colo Colo has requested an exemption from the Council of Presidents, the body comprised of the top executives of Chilean clubs. The board is expected to vote on the matter Friday, and the decision must be unanimous for Vozinha to wear his nickname.

Another challenge will be deciding which jersey number the Cape Verdean will wear, as the traditional goalkeeper numbers are already assigned, with Argentine goalkeeper Fernando de Paul wearing No. 1.

World Cup star energizes Chile

Vozinha emerged as one of the breakout stars of the World Cup by leading debutant Cape Verde on a remarkable run. He kept a clean sheet against eventual champion Spain in the team’s opening match before producing a series of spectacular saves against Argentina in the round of 32, where Cape Verde lost 3-2.

His move to South America has generated enormous interest in Chile, where the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup after finishing last in the qualifiers.

Vozinha’s signing is also expected to boost the profile of both Colo Colo and Chilean football while creating significant commercial opportunities.

As his social media following soared, Vozinha has become the face of several advertising campaigns.

Across Chile, meanwhile, the “Vozinha effect” is already being felt. Since announcing the signing, Colo Colo has gained nearly 70,000 followers across its social media platforms, many of them from overseas.

“The whole world is getting to know Colo Colo better,” supporter Héctor Hermosilla said. “The world’s cameras will be on Vozinha and that’s going to be good for the club."

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

After just a couple of hours of deliberations, a jury found Hadi Matar guilty of all the charges against him, including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism.

Rushdie, who was about to speak on writers’ safety, was slashed 15 times on an amphitheater stage in 2022. He was gravely wounded and lost the sight in his right eye.

Prosecutors asserted that Matar was motivated by the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ’s 1989 call for Rushdie’s death because of “The Satanic Verses.”

“His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said in a statement after the verdict, adding that “justice has been done.” Iran’s government has denied involvement in the attack.

Matar’s defense: No evidence of his state of mind

Messages seeking comment on the verdict were sent to Matar's attorneys and Rushdie's assistant. During the trial, defense lawyer Nathaniel Barone said the government had no proof of what was in Matar’s head.

Matar himself declined to testify. Rushdie did, telling jurors: “I can’t say what his ambitions or his aim was, but the wounds were dispersed across my body.”

Matar, 28, is already serving a 25-year New York state prison sentence on an attempted murder conviction in the stabbing. His federal sentencing is set for Nov. 3, when he faces a potential life term.

Rushdie won Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for his 1981 novel “Midnight’s Children,” about his native India. “The Satanic Verses,” a novel of magical realism about the lives and dreams of two actors who survive a plane explosion, followed in 1988.

It drew critical acclaim in the United Kingdom but engendered protests around the Muslim world over what some believers saw as blasphemous suggestions about Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, particularly in a dream sequence. Over the ensuing years, at least 45 people were killed in riots over the book, a Japanese translator was stabbed to death, and an Italian translator and Norwegian publisher were attacked.

Rushdie, who was born into a Muslim family, has said the dream sequence was just that. But he went into hiding for years, gradually emerging after Iran’s government distanced itself in 1998 from Khomeini’s fatwa, or religious edict.

“For two decades or more, I led a public life without a hint of trouble,” Rushdie testified at the trial in Buffalo, New York.

Yet the fatwa was never rescinded; indeed, Khomenei’s successor, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, indicated in 2017 that it remained in effect. An Iranian foundation has offered a more than $3 million bounty for killing Rushdie.

Prosecutors: Matar’s messages showed him zeroing in on Rushdie

Matar broached the fatwa with contacts in messaging apps in 2021 and 2022, according to exhibits shown in court. The messages showed Matar fuming that he felt Rushdie had attacked Islam and, by surviving, emboldened others to insult the faith. Matar alluded to a 2006 comment along those lines by the late Hezbollah militant group leader Hassan Nasrallah, the messages showed.

Born in the U.S., Matar also holds citizenship in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based. Prosecutors said that photos in Matar’s New Jersey bedroom and on his computer indicated his support for Hezbollah, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

Matar “spent months planning and preparing to carry out what he hoped would be the execution of Salman Rushdie,” U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo said in a statement Wednesday.

The messages showed Matar initially talked about wanting to “expose” Rushdie, then about taking his life. In a private note to himself, he wrote: “We need to kill him ASAP,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Lynch said in an opening statement on July 22. The prosecutor said Matar framed the planned killing as part of what he considered a jihad, or holy war.

By spring 2022, the electronic chats showed, Matar wrote that he had discerned where Rushdie lived and was tracking his public appearances, eventually pointing out his scheduled August 2022 talk at the Chautauqua Institution, a western New York arts and intellectual center.

As Rushdie was being introduced, his attacker climbed on stage behind him, then stabbed him as the audience gasped. Spectators and another speaker, Henry Reese, scrambled to aid Rushdie. Law enforcement officers, assigned to the event, arrested the attacker — soon identified as Matar — after civilians restrained him.

Rushdie published a 2024 memoir about the attack, then returned to fiction with last year’s “The Eleventh Hour.” The author, who was knighted by Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II, received a Dayton Literary Peace Prize lifetime achievement award in November.

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Associated Press writer John Wawrow contributed from Buffalo, New York.

Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego was one of three men riding in a work van July 7 being driven by Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot by an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Salgado Araujo was shot after the van was stopped by federal agents driving unmarked vehicles. Rojas Pliego has disputed the Trump administration's account of the shooting in court documents, calling it a “lie.”

A federal judge this week ordered Rojas Pliego's release and previously instructed the government not to deport him.

Rojas Pliego has lived in the U.S. for several decades and does not have legal status, according to his stepdaughter Griselda Silva. She said that the family could not afford to pay the legal fees to try to adjust his status.

In a video posted by one of Rojas Pliego’s attorneys Wednesday, he is seen wearing an ankle monitor in a parking lot and hugging a woman.

The Department of Homeland Security said shortly after the shooting that Salgado Araujo had “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer,” and that the officer had fired in self-defense. But Rojas Pliego and another passenger wrote in statements submitted in court that the officers were on the sides of the van, never in front of or behind it.

Araujo Salgado, a 52-year-old father of three, had been living in the U.S. for 35 years and was close to obtaining legal status, according to his family. He had no criminal record.

His death is one of at least 10 during immigration enforcement operations since the start of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign, sparking widespread protests in Houston and calls for an independent investigation.

Around the time Rojas Pliego walked out of the detention center Wednesday, federal prosecutors asked for a stay of his release pending an appeal, arguing that U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison's ruling on Monday conflicted with decisions in other immigration cases.

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

The dual developments mark a significant moment of transition for the agency that oversees the city’s public transportation system.

Under Ford’s leadership, the JTA said, the agency reached several milestones that helped raise Jacksonville’s national profile in public transportation, including:

• developing the First Coast Flyer bus rapid transit system, the largest BRT network in the southeastern United States;
• constructing the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center, an award-winning multimodal mobility hub;
• winning more than $400 million in federal discretionary grants and supporting a local option gas tax extension that generated $1 billion for regional infrastructure;
• completing JTAMobilityWorks, a 27-project road-building and complete streets initiative, two years ahead of schedule;
• implementing the Route Optimization Initiative, the first complete redesign of JTA’s transit system in 34 years;
• expanding JTA’s regional footprint across Baker, St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties, including restoration of the St. Johns River Ferry;
• launching the Ultimate Urban Circulator, the nation’s first deployment of an autonomous vehicle service in public transit; and
• attracting HOLON’s first U.S. autonomous vehicle manufacturing facility, a $200 million investment projected to generate $87 million annually for Florida’s economy.

Mayor Donna Deegan praised Ford’s tenure, saying his leadership helped make the authority a model for innovation and a catalyst for economic growth.

“Nat has been a dedicated partner to the City of Jacksonville, and his vision and collaborative spirit helped move our community forward in meaningful ways,” she said.

Board Chair Aundra Wallace thanked Ford and JTA staff for advancing mobility solutions for Northeast Florida.

“Under the leadership of Nat, JTA has built a national reputation for innovating, particularly in the autonomous vehicle space at the same time the JTA team remains true to the core of what we do best — providing safe, reliable and affordable public transportation to our community,” she said.

Ford heads to Dallas after years of ‘thinking differently’

Ford, who announced his resignation earlier this month, has accepted the CEO position with Dallas Area Rapid Transit. He will leave JTA in October and begins his new role in Dallas on Oct. 26.

In his goodbye remarks, Ford credited the board with driving the agency’s progress.

“What I couldn’t have imagined is how much we accomplished together,” Ford said. “None of these successes belong to one individual — they belong to this board of directors who allowed innovation, allowed this JTA to think differently.”

Board launches CEO search, eyes December decision

The JTA Board of Directors created a CEO Selection Committee on Wednesday to coordinate the search for Ford’s replacement. All seven board members will serve on the committee.

The board plans to begin meeting in August to start the hiring process. No date has been set for the committee’s first meeting, which is expected to outline the selection process — including whether to hire a national search firm to manage it. The board discussed a timeline that includes accepting applications into October, conducting interviews in the fall, and making a final decision in December.

The board is actively debating whether to spend six figures on an outside agency to lead the search.

“This process needs to be deliberate, intentional and transparent to deliver the most qualified candidate to lead the JTA,” said Chairman Aundra Wallace.

Council liaison pushes to cut NAVI

City Councilman Rory Diamond, who serves as the council’s liaison to the JTA Board, arrived Wednesday with a clear target: NAVI, the autonomous vehicle that operates in downtown Jacksonville.

Diamond holds no structural voting authority on the JTA Board, but represents the Jacksonville City Council, which controls the agency’s purse strings. He and Ford had clashed repeatedly in recent months over whether the autonomous vehicle program is worth its cost.

“I do think it’s time to cut NAVI — it’s well beyond time,” Diamond said. He confirmed he plans to raise the issue directly with the board and will also bring it before Jacksonville City Council to renegotiate the city’s portion of the local option gas tax, which funds the NAVI program.

Two major questions now hang over JTA’s future: how much taxpayer money it will cost to find a new CEO, and whether Jacksonville’s autonomous vehicle program has reached the end of the road.

Be Pro Be Proud is bringing its mobile learning lab to Northeast Florida, giving middle- and high-school students a hands-on look at careers they might not have considered.

When field trips, job shadowing and in-person career exploration aren’t always possible, the mobile lab aims to bring the experience directly to kids — letting them try the work, not just hear about it.

During a visit with PAL (Jacksonville’s Police Athletic League) on Monument Road in Arlington, Reggie LaGrone, with Be Pro Be Proud, said the program is focused on reaching students early, before they’ve locked into a single idea of what a “good job” looks like.

“We’re targeting 8th graders, ages 13 on up through high school,” LaGrone said. “Sometimes we get some as low as 6th and 7th grade.”

Students with PAL toured Georgia’s Be Pro Be Proud mobile lab — brought to town for the week — and sampled multiple careers through simulations and interactive stations.

Some of the demos included:

• Plumbing
• Diesel/transportation careers (including driving simulators)
• Virtual reality experiences tied to skilled trades — including bridge demolition and even medical-style simulations
• Career pathways connected to construction and the ongoing housing demand

LaGrone acknowledged that students might not pick a trade career until they understand how essential (and wide-ranging) those careers really are.

“Nobody wants to be a plumber, but everybody needs the service of a plumber,” LaGrone said.

LaGrone said each region’s workforce needs can shape what students gravitate toward.

In South Georgia, for example, agriculture can drive interest in farming-related careers, while other areas might see stronger pull toward construction, transportation or other trades, LaGrone said.

Speaking with the students, LaGrone connected everyday life back to skilled trades, explaining that the goods we wear and eat have to move across the country, so diesel and logistics careers are behind more of our daily routine than they realize.

He also stressed that demand is already there, including in housing with a 30 million home shortage across the country.

His bottom-line message to students: “Where there’s need, there’s an opportunity.”

And those opportunities can mean a steady, often high-paying career.

“You’re always going to do well,” LaGrone said.

Be Pro Be Proud’s Mobile Learning Lab is coming to North Florida shortly after Labor Day with support from WareWorks, a local nonprofit focused on building interest, access and pathways into skilled trades.

Calvert left multiple Nocatee homeowners with unfinished homes and millions of dollars in losses, and some of those homeowners will share the impacts of his fraud during a sentencing hearing before Circuit Judge Christopher Ferebee in St. Johns County.

Under a negotiated plea agreement announced by the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Calvert agreed to pay $8,722,659.05 in restitution, including an upfront payment of $1 million at sentencing that will be distributed among victims based on the percentage of their losses.

Calvert, the former owner of Pineapple Corporation, pleaded guilty to:

• Organized scheme to defraud more than $50,000
• Fifteen counts of grand theft of more than $100,000
• One count of grand theft
• One count of misappropriation of construction funds of $100,000 or more
• Twenty-six counts of misappropriation of construction funds between $1,000 and $100,000
• One count of misappropriation of construction funds of less than $1,000

‘I accept responsibility’: Spencer Calvert takes the stand

On Wednesday, Meredith Carr, Calvert’s sister, spoke on behalf of the family.

“His wife and children are the center of his life...he continues to support his wife and children to allow her to continue work as a flight attendant,” Carr said. “We are not here on his behalf to make excuses...I ask the court to consider a sentence to continue supporting his family.”

Then, his wife, Carrie Calvert, asked that the court consider the impact that incarceration would have on the family and their young children.

“They need their father in their lives during these important years of their lives. Our family has already endured the heartbreaking loss of our son, a tragedy that has forever changed our lives,” she said.

Then Spencer Calvert took the stand and apologized to all his victims name-by-name, including Below Deck’s Capt. Sandy Yawn and her wife Leah Yawn.

“I’ve made numerous mistakes which led to catastrophic losses and hardships that the victims and many others have faced and continue to face. For that, I accept complete responsibility and I offer my sincere apology,” he said.

He also said that he is dealing with mental health issues and is concerned that if he is incarcerated, he wouldn’t be able to keep a job and pay back restitution at $3,000 a month.

Victim Statements

While Spencer Calvert and his wife spoke through tears, his victims said that they are still reeling from the effects of his actions.

Terry said he and his wife didn’t come from money and after the financial crisis of 2008, it took them about 10 years to save the money up to enter the homebuilding process with Spencer Calvert.

“A lot of trust went into that, that money hasn’t been recouped. Then the money that we’re supposed to get today doesn’t put a dent in it...and over this process, what we have seen is not someone that is sorry for what they’ve done,” he said.

Dimitri Fishkin said that $700,000 was taken from his family in life savings. He said that over the last five years, Spencer Calvert has owned 12 lots in Nocatee that were worth millions of dollars and he let them go into foreclosure.

“He chose to let it all go for nothing...he fought us all the way...he has taken every opportunity to not show that he’s remorseful. Do not apologize basically to make life as difficult as possible for us in this entire process. That would’ve been very useful 3 or 4 years ago when all of this came to light.”

Fishkin asked the court to give Spencer Calvert the maximum sentence.

Felix Reznik statements were similar to Fishkin’s, saying that Spencer Calvert took actions to delay the process over the years.

“For someone to steal millions of dollars and walk away with probation there’s going to be a line of people waiting out the door to do that,” Reznik said.

He asked the court to give him the maximum sentence.

Anthony and Jaqueline Molligio said they moved to Florida to celebrate their retirement as an attorney and judge to build their dream home but it never happened because of Spencer Calvert’s actions.

After the sentence was handed down, News4JAX spoke with Anthony.

“We were hoping he would get the five years and nothing less. As you heard the judge said he could’ve gotten 37 and a half years so we’re satisfied. We need to move on Jackie and I my wife we’ve been doing this for 5 years and we need to get on with our retirement,” Anthony Molligio said.

RJ Larizza, the State Attorney, said this was a victory.

“For the folks in this case that were affected financially, my heart goes out to them they’ll never get the satisfaction they deserve in a case like this. But by avoiding a troial getting them to plead all of those counts, and all that hanging over his head and getting a million up front,” Larizza said.

Terms of the agreement

Under the agreement, Calvert faces a sentence ranging from probation to five years in prison.

Any prison sentence would be followed by 30 years of probation, with the possibility of early termination if restitution is paid in full. The court will also establish a minimum monthly restitution payment.

The agreement also requires that proceeds from any remaining lots owned by Calvert or Pineapple Corporation be applied toward restitution.

Calvert also agreed to execute default judgments in related civil lawsuits, allowing victims to seek compensation through Florida’s Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund.

The guilty plea came four months after an earlier plea agreement unraveled in court following emotional objections from victims, who argued the proposed punishment and restitution were inadequate.

That agreement would have included a five-year prison sentence and significantly less upfront restitution of $150,000 before it was rejected and negotiations collapsed.

According to prosecutors, Calvert abandoned multiple custom home projects in Nocatee’s Vista at Twenty Mile neighborhood between 2019 and 2023. The homes were left in varying stages of construction, with some consisting only of foundations and others partially framed or roofed.

Investigators said Calvert misappropriated more than $8.7 million in deposits from 15 cooperating victims.

Authorities said homeowners paid large upfront deposits intended to cover subcontractors and construction costs, but Calvert failed to pay many of those subcontractors. As a result, liens were filed against homeowners’ properties, forcing many victims to pay additional costs while hiring new contractors to finish their homes.

The criminal investigation was conducted jointly by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and investigators with the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Calvert was arrested in 2024.

The case gained national attention after several victims, including reality television star Capt. Sandy Yawn of Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean, publicly described the financial and emotional toll of the unfinished construction projects.

After Sandy and Leah Yawn learned of the news, they issued the following statement, calling it a closed chapter.

This has been a long and difficult journey for our family. While nothing can undo what happened, we believe justice has been served, and we are grateful to finally put this chapter behind us.

What began as a devastating experience ultimately revealed a strength and resilience we didn’t know we had. It brought us closer together as a married couple, introduced us to incredible friends, and gave us the opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of advocating for yourself throughout the home-building process.

We are incredibly thankful for the unwavering support of our neighbors and the St. Johns County community. We are proud to call this community home and look forward to moving ahead with gratitude, hope, and a renewed appreciation for the people who stood beside us.

Life is moving forward in exciting ways. Leah is expanding Skin by Leah and launching her new beauty brand, JustMix Beauty, this September. I’m also heading into my 11th season of Below Deck Mediterranean, and together we’re launching our own mocktail line. We refused to let this experience define us. Instead, it challenged us to work harder, become stronger, and discover a resilience we never knew we had.

Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned, but it’s not what happens to you that defines you—it’s how you choose to navigate it. We choose gratitude, growth, and moving forward.

Captain Sandy and Leah Yawn

A crowd of a few dozen gathered outside Climate Pledge Arena to both support Cunningham and promote statewide initiatives IL26-638, which would bar transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics at Washington schools, and IL26-001, which would expand the state's “Parents’ Bill of Rights.”

Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports in an ESPN article published last week. Cunningham was booed by Storm fans when she checked into Tuesday’s game, as well as when attempting her first free throws of the night.

Media members asked to speak to Cunningham and Clark postgame, but neither player was made available. Kelsey Mitchell and Monique Billings addressed the media instead, alongside head coach Stephanie White.

When White was asked about the rally and Cunningham’s recent comments, a Fever public relations representative intervened with the following statement:

“Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers,” the statement said. “Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission.”

Storm head coach Sonia Raman answered a question about the pregame protest following her team’s seventh consecutive loss.

“Seattle and this organization and Climate Pledge, we always want to be an area where people feel welcome coming into this building,” Raman said. “I think we’ve always done a really good job with that. So, I know our organization was working closely with Climate Pledge and the security just to make sure that everybody feels safe and included and welcome when they walk in this door.

“From what I understand, that was successful.”

Heather Weiner, a spokesperson for No Hate in Washington State, a coalition of doctors, nurses, anti-domestic violence groups and other community organizations opposing statewide Initiatives 638 and 001, found it to be a positive experience on the whole outside Climate Pledge Arena.

“Washington State is a very caring, inclusive place,” Weiner said. “We don’t always agree, but we do agree against hate, and we will come together about that.”

___

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

In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.

But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. The airport, the area’s primary international airport, served roughly 29 million passengers over the past year, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

“This transformation is another step in our ongoing efforts to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful again,” Trump said. “We’re doing something with Dulles that’s going to make it the top anywhere in the world.”

Trump says Dulles modernization is ‘sorely needed’

Trump, who used a laser pointer to explain the renovations displayed on renderings, said the “crazy distances” travelers must walk to get from place to place make Dulles “the worst airport.”

Congress would need to approve some aspects of the renovation plan, Trump said. Construction could start next spring, Duffy said. The plan does not call for expanding Dulles' runways or adding new ones.

Officials said the airlines and the airport authority that operates Dulles would pay for the project with municipal bonds, but they did not spell out how much of the cost might be passed on to travelers through higher fees or ticket prices when flying out of the airport.

John Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates Dulles, said his agency, United Airlines and other airlines operating there have agreed “to fund this thing.” Dulles is one of United's hubs.

“So this is not requiring federal dollars,” Potter said at the Oval Office event. “This is going to be airport-generated dollars, airline contributions, which is phenomenal."

Dulles, located in northern Virginia, is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from downtown Washington. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located in Arlington, Virginia, which is closer to downtown, making it popular with members of Congress and local residents.

The president, a former real estate developer, said in December that Dulles was “incorrectly designed.” He nonetheless praised Eero Saarinen, the Finnish-American architect and designer of the airport's main terminal. Trump and Duffy said the president reviewed presentations from about 30 architects before Trump settled on the redesign he announced Wednesday.

Some costs might eventually be shared by taxpayers and travelers

Even if the project is largely paid for by the airlines, industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said taxpayers might be asked to cover upgrades to the runways and safety measures as well as new customs and security facilities. The president of Atmosphere Research Group said he also wouldn't be surprised to see a passenger facility fee added eventually.

“I’m not taking the statement that they are not going to use taxpayer money at face value,” Harteveldt said.

The reason United and other airlines are willing to invest in Dulles, he said, is that they believe it will help them expand by adding more flights and passengers, boosting their revenue. But this could also contribute to higher ticket prices.

“United is going to try to charge as much for its tickets as it can. Other airlines will do the same,” Harteveldt said. “I think part of the statement that no tax money will be used could be something to placate the public right now.”

Dulles has relied on people movers since it opened in 1962

Designed by Chrysler Corp., the people movers shuttle passengers between the terminal and aircraft. The airport operates a fleet of 19 mobile lounges, each capable of carrying up to 102 passengers, according to its website.

When Dulles debuted, the airport touted the system as a major convenience. Passengers, it said, “had to walk only 200 feet once they entered the terminal until they were seated in a mobile lounge for the short trip directly to their aircraft,” a service it described as unique to Dulles.

But they have become one of passengers' least favorite aspects of transiting through Dulles, with travelers — and Trump — complaining that the system is outdated, balky and slow. At times, planes have to wait for a people mover to cross and vice versa, which slows operations at the airport.

One of the lounges crashed in November, sending 18 people to the hospital.

Dulles began a multibillion-dollar construction program in 2000 to begin to address future passenger demand. Major projects included two new parking garages, a fourth runway, a new concourse, a new Air Traffic Control tower, pedestrian walkways, and an airport train system, according to the airport authority’s website.

The airport authority says significant modernization work is already underway at Dulles. Later this year, the first segment of the new Concourse E will open with 14 additional United gates that will help the airline expand its international network, provide direct access to the airport’s AeroTrain system and debut new and enhanced concessions options and passenger lounges.

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Associated Press writers Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.

“Those conversations are ongoing,” said one of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Cruz and co-sponsor Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., are pushing to bring the Protect College Sports Act to a vote before Aug. 7, the last day the Senate meets before going on break. Senators return for the second half of September, before breaking for all of October -- leaving little time remaining before the November midterms.

A pair of documents outlining concessions the lawmakers have made in the negotiations were headlined by a $20 million-plus “retention pool” that schools could use to keep players from leaving. It would amount to a doubling of the revenue-sharing “salary cap," which is currently set at $21.3 million for this school year.

The conferences are seeking answers on whether the increase in revenue share would impact rules governing third-party payments to players, the likes of which are largely blamed for spiraling roster costs.

There's also the question of whether such an increase would comport with the House settlement — the $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement that dictates rules around revenue sharing. Jeffrey Kessler, the plaintiffs' attorney, has said he would need to see the language before weighing in on whether it impacts the settlement.

Absent from the documents was any mention of rewrites regarding antitrust protection or preemption of state laws. Those have been core requests surrounding legislation from virtually all the conferences and NCAA since Congress began this process.

Earlier this month, the SEC and Big Ten put out a paper outlining 10 “Common Sense Improvements” for the PCSA. The first two— and three of the 10 — entries on their list dealt with those two issues.

Other topics have been addressed in the negotiations, including adding flexibility to requirements over how many Olympic and women's sports programs some schools should have and relaxing language over conference expansion to allow leagues to grow to up to 19 teams.

There has also been language designed to prohibit private equity investors from paying schools to form a super league, though the conferences could seek more refining to that language.

___

Pells reported from Denver.

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

The heat will turn up soon. Not just the temperatures either.

As the defending champions in the AFC South, the pressure is on head coach Liam Coen and the Jaguars. The team’s out-of-nowhere 13-4 finish in Coen’s first season of a rebuild has up the ante in 2026. Was last year a fluke or was it the birth of something lasting?

“Yeah, we haven’t done anything to rest on our laurels here,” Coen said after the first day of camp. “We’re not in a place to hang out and just kind of chill, right? Everything we’re doing is trying to attack an edge. Last year was about finding an edge and creating an edge. And now we are attacking these edges with a relentless pursuit.”

The growth area for the Jaguars is consistency. Can they maintain it? That’s been the knock on the Jaguars long before Coen arrived in town. Ebbs and flows in the game are natural, but long blocks of time with inconsistent play is what Jacksonville wants to ditch.

The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence coming off the best season of his career (he was an MVP finalist) and the defense was one of the league’s best. But there are things to work on. The ground game started strong but finished with a bit of a whimper. Second-year back Bhayshul Tuten is the candidate to replace Travis Etienne, and he opened camp with a burst along the right sideline that would have been a touchdown. No defender got a hand on Tuten.

The long ball is another area of growth. Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is healthy after a disappointing sophomore season, and he is unquestionably Jacksonville’s best at taking the back end off the defense. Lawrence and Thomas looked good during the offseason portion of camp, so building off that is key.

“I feel really good. I didn’t think I had the best day today necessarily, but I feel like this whole offseason and even today, I threw it well and just missed a couple,” Lawrence said. “But I feel really healthy. I feel like I’m in great shape. I think I’m throwing it as good as ever. I think the chemistry with the guys is really, really good. I like where our team’s at. So, I’m excited, really excited for this training camp.”

Lawrence in particular has taken fans on a roller coaster ride throughout his five years in the league. At times, he’s looked elite and like one of the best in the NFL. During others, Lawrence has made baffling mistakes that shouldn’t be made.

But after appearing to turn the corner during the second half of 2025, Lawrence looks and feels different. He no doubt has a better grasp of Coen and Grant Udinski’s offense than he did a year ago. With that learning curve out of the way, this season should be much more focused on refinement and not teaching. Lawrence’s biggest area to improve on is in the turnover department. He threw 12 interceptions last year.

“Yeah, I think 12’s a little more than I’d like still, but yeah, I think that that’s something that has been a huge talking point in my career and rightfully so,” Lawrence said. “You have to take care of the ball, so I think that’s something I’ve worked really hard on my entire career, and I think the last few years. A big one is especially fumbles and taking care of the ball in the pocket and when I’m running because that’s one that you can control every time you have it.”

📒Notebook 📒

Trevor Lawrence: 4 for 10, 1 INT

Nick Mullens: 5 for 10

Carter Bradley: 1 for 2

Joey Aguilar: 2 for 2

Bhayshul Tuten: 5 carries all with Trevor Lawrence

Chris Rodriguez Jr.: 0 carries in team

LeQuint Allen: 3 carries all with Lawrence

Ameer Abdullah: 5 carries all from Nick Mullens

DeeJay Dallas: 3 carries all with Nick Mullens

J’Mari Taylor: 2 carries. 1 from Mullens and 1 from Joey Aguilar.

• Defensive standout: Eric Murray had the splash play of the day. On the first play of 7 on 7, Murray got an interception off Trevor. It was a play that felt very similar to a play Murray made at the start of OTAs. Murray needs to keep making those sorts of veteran plays if he is going to hold off the young guys that he is competing with for a starting job.
• Travis Hunter spent time with the offense and defense both during individual periods and during team. Hunter nearly made the play of the day when he went up and snatched a pass along the sideline, but he lost the ball on the way down. Either way, it was encouraging to see him back on the field and showing off that type of athleticism.
• Jack Kiser was banged up early in practice. He left with the trainers and never returned.
• Chris Rodriguez worked with the running backs during position drills but didn’t participate during the team parts of practice. Rodriguez said he feels good to go and will be ready for Week 1.
• Travon Walker had what would have been a sack. He ran through the right tackle and demolished the running back in pass pro for what would have been a really nice play.
• Offensive Play of the Day: Nick Mullens and CJ Williams connected on a beautiful throw and catch. Mullens layered it in between two defenders, and Williams made a nice sliding catch.

GOP Sen. John Cornyn, a crucial swing vote, told reporters he was not willing to support Blanche's nomination until the Justice Department adequately addressed in writing his concerns about the settlement that afforded Trump and members of his family protection from tax audits.

The dispute threatened to upend plans for the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote Thursday on whether to advance Blanche's nomination to the full Senate. Another Republican on the committee, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, has backed Cornyn's position, and just one Republican holdout could sink Blanche's prospects.

After hours of negotiations, Cornyn said Wednesday evening that there had been no progress toward satisfying his demands.

“They’re stonewalling,” Cornyn, who lost the Texas Republican primary in May, said of the Justice Department.

At the center of the fight is the settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS that included a deal to drop tax claims against the president and a now-scrapped plan to create a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who believe they were wronged by the Justice Department. The Justice Department said in June that it was no longer moving forward with the “Anti-Weaponization Fund" amid bipartisan outrage but officials have said the audit immunity agreement remains in place.

Blanche didn’t answer shouted questions from reporters as he left Capitol Hill, where he had been meeting with senators Wednesday. A person familiar with the matter said the Justice Department had provided Cornyn’s office with a written proposal seeking to address his concerns around the audit immunity agreement and the fund. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk about sensitive discussions surrounding Blanche’s confirmation.

Trump on Wednesday downplayed any concerns about Blanche's path to confirmation, calling his attorney general pick and former personal attorney “outstanding."

“Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” Trump told reporters in response to questions about the senator's demands.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the state's Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, easily defeating Cornyn. Trump had endorsed Paxton.

Some lawmakers have questioned whether the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” could be resurrected absent a commitment in writing from the Trump administration that it is dead, especially since Trump has expressed continued support for the idea. Blanche had previously resisted requests for a formal written retraction, though he told senators at his confirmation hearing earlier this month that the administration would be willing to help craft legislation to bar the creation of the fund.

Cornyn has also demanded clarification from the Justice Department on the scope of the tax immunity deal. He has pressed the administration to modify that piece of the settlement to make clear that it covers only existing audits and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.

“We're been trying to help them get to a conclusion here and they won't let us. It's befuddling to me,” Cornyn said.

The settlement resulting from Trump's lawsuit over his leaked tax returns has drawn intense scrutiny both in Congress and in court. The judge handling the case said in a scathing ruling earlier this month that Trump had effectively engaged in self-dealing through the lawsuit and that she was troubled Blanche had signed the settlement, given his prior representation of Trump.

Blanche has said he disagrees “with the judge’s insinuations" about him.

___

Associated Press reporters Seung Min Kim and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

The heat will turn up soon. Not just the temperatures either.

As the defending champions in the AFC South, the pressure is on head coach Liam Coen and the Jaguars. The team’s out-of-nowhere 13-4 finish in Coen’s first season of a rebuild has up the ante in 2026. Was last year a fluke or was it the birth of something lasting?

“Yeah, we haven’t done anything to rest on our laurels here,” Coen said after the first day of camp. “We’re not in a place to hang out and just kind of chill, right? Everything we’re doing is trying to attack an edge. Last year was about finding an edge and creating an edge. And now we are attacking these edges with a relentless pursuit.”

The growth area for the Jaguars is consistency. Can they maintain it? That’s been the knock on the Jaguars long before Coen arrived in town. Ebbs and flows in the game are natural, but long blocks of time with inconsistent play is what Jacksonville wants to ditch.

The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence coming off the best season of his career (he was an MVP finalist) and the defense was one of the league’s best. But there are things to work on. The ground game started strong but finished with a bit of a whimper. Second-year back Bhayshul Tuten is the candidate to replace Travis Etienne, and he opened camp with a burst along the right sideline that would have been a touchdown. No defender got a hand on Tuten.

The long ball is another area of growth. Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is healthy after a disappointing sophomore season, and he is unquestionably Jacksonville’s best at taking the back end off the defense. Lawrence and Thomas looked good during the offseason portion of camp, so building off that is key.

“I feel really good. I didn’t think I had the best day today necessarily, but I feel like this whole offseason and even today, I threw it well and just missed a couple,” Lawrence said. “But I feel really healthy. I feel like I’m in great shape. I think I’m throwing it as good as ever. I think the chemistry with the guys is really, really good. I like where our team’s at. So, I’m excited, really excited for this training camp.”

Lawrence in particular has taken fans on a roller coaster ride throughout his five years in the league. At times, he’s looked elite and like one of the best in the NFL. During others, Lawrence has made baffling mistakes that shouldn’t be made.

But after appearing to turn the corner during the second half of 2025, Lawrence looks and feels different. He no doubt has a better grasp of Coen and Grant Udinski’s offense than he did a year ago. With that learning curve out of the way, this season should be much more focused on refinement and not teaching. Lawrence’s biggest area to improve on is in the turnover department. He threw 12 interceptions last year.

“Yeah, I think 12’s a little more than I’d like still, but yeah, I think that that’s something that has been a huge talking point in my career and rightfully so,” Lawrence said. “You have to take care of the ball, so I think that’s something I’ve worked really hard on my entire career, and I think the last few years. A big one is especially fumbles and taking care of the ball in the pocket and when I’m running because that’s one that you can control every time you have it.”

📒Notebook 📒

Trevor Lawrence: 4 for 10, 1 INT

Nick Mullens: 5 for 10

Carter Bradley: 1 for 2

Joey Aguilar: 2 for 2

Bhayshul Tuten: 5 carries all with Trevor Lawrence

Chris Rodriguez Jr.: 0 carries in team

LeQuint Allen: 3 carries all with Lawrence

Ameer Abdullah: 5 carries all from Nick Mullens

DeeJay Dallas: 3 carries all with Nick Mullens

J’Mari Taylor: 2 carries. 1 from Mullens and 1 from Joey Aguilar.

• Defensive standout: Eric Murray had the splash play of the day. On the first play of 7 on 7, Murray got an interception off Trevor. It was a play that felt very similar to a play Murray made at the start of OTAs. Murray needs to keep making those sorts of veteran plays if he is going to hold off the young guys that he is competing with for a starting job.
• Travis Hunter spent time with the offense and defense both during individual periods and during team. Hunter nearly made the play of the day when he went up and snatched a pass along the sideline, but he lost the ball on the way down. Either way, it was encouraging to see him back on the field and showing off that type of athleticism.
• Jack Kiser was banged up early in practice. He left with the trainers and never returned.
• Chris Rodriguez worked with the running backs during position drills but didn’t participate during the team parts of practice. Rodriguez said he feels good to go and will be ready for Week 1.
• Travon Walker had what would have been a sack. He ran through the right tackle and demolished the running back in pass pro for what would have been a really nice play.
• Offensive Play of the Day: Nick Mullens and CJ Williams connected on a beautiful throw and catch. Mullens layered it in between two defenders, and Williams made a nice sliding catch.

The women rented commercial space inside a building on Avenue B, where they say repeated flooding, mold, rodents and structural damage made it impossible to stay in business. News4JAX obtained city code enforcement records showing inspectors flagged the property as unsafe years before either woman signed a lease.

‘One thing after another’

One former tenant told News4JAX she knew the moment she stepped inside the space that she wanted it.

“I wanted it so bad — this is something I always wanted to do,” she said. “It was a week I made $1,500 in a week to get in this building.”

But problems started almost immediately. Within five months, the building flooded three times, damaging her furniture and internet connection and making it harder to run her business.

She said she reported a leak to the property owner early on and someone was sent to apply a clear sealant to stop water from coming through — but it didn’t work.

“It was leaking one day, and I still mopped it up and stuff, but she sent somebody and the guy came and put this clear stuff under here to stop the water from coming through, but it didn’t stop,” she said.

She was eventually evicted after complaining about conditions inside her suite.

Ceilings fell, mold spread

Karyn Alfred rented the same space for her dance studio in 2024 and was also evicted. Alfred says she stopped paying rent after the ceiling fell in.

“My building, this building here, and the building down there — all three of our ceilings collapsed at the same time,” Alfred said. “Before that, there was mold, there was water, and we kept complaining about it, and they would come and do minimal repairs.”

Alfred said visible patches on the ceiling are still there today.

“Those patches — you can see — that’s where the damage is coming from,” she said.

In 2025, Alfred took property owner Edward Malone to civil court. Court documents show he admitted to hiring unlicensed contractors. Alfred won that case but lost in small claims court.

“People like him need to be held accountable,” Alfred said. “This is not the way that anybody in America who is a business owner should be operating.”

City records show years of warnings

City code enforcement records obtained by News4JAX show inspectors had been documenting problems at the building long before either woman moved in.

Records dating back to August 2023 cite the building as an “unsafe structure” after inspectors observed parts of the ceiling falling inside. By May, inspectors wrote the building was in danger of collapsing and was not fit for people to occupy.

After part of the roof collapsed in March 2025, an inspector found previous ceiling repairs had been done incorrectly. City records also show Malone denied inspectors access for a follow-up inspection.

News4JAX reached out to Malone and the property manager. Neither responded.

Owner faces federal wire fraud charges

News4JAX has previously reported on Malone. He is facing federal wire fraud charges tied to COVID-19 emergency rental assistance funds, accused of submitting fraudulent documents to collect thousands of dollars in relief money.

Alfred says she hopes her experience prevents someone else from going through the same thing.

“I wanted to run a legitimate business, but it was just one thing after another after another,” she said. “I end up losing everything. I just don’t want anybody to have to use their hard-earned money and go through what I went through.”

Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at the Egyptian port of Damietta, according to Ambrey, a British maritime security firm. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes on a U.S.-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. No injuries were reported.

The flare-up on multiple fronts after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans. The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the U.S. is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.

Egypt, a close U.S. ally and regional mediator, is one of the only countries in the Middle East to have been spared direct military action during the war. A strike by Iran or its allies, if confirmed, would mark a significant widening of the conflict.

Asked during an Oval Office event if Iran was responsible for the strikes on the natural gas vessels, Trump responded: “It's a little more of the same.”

“It’s going to be straightening out,” he added. “In the meantime, we’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming. They’re asking us not to do it.”

Saudi Arabia had accused the Iraqi militias of firing drones against its oil facilities over the past two days. An umbrella group of Iraqi militias initially denied the allegations, while another Iran-backed group — the Houthi rebels in Yemen — said they had attacked Saudi energy facilities as part of a separate but related conflict.

Before the latest eruption, mediators had expressed optimism about bringing the U.S. and Iran back to the negotiating table. An interim agreement collapsed in recent weeks over renewed fighting in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy supplies that Iranian attacks have again effectively closed.

A regional official said mediators are “still trying with both sides” to restore calm and get the ceasefire back on track. He gave no details on whether progress was being made and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door diplomacy.

Regional countries will continue to push to de-escalate the situation, said an Arab official, adding that prospects for successful mediation were slim as both sides continue to launch attacks on the other and have shown no inclination to stop. “We're in a very bad place right now,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe an internal assessment of the situation.

The renewed hostilities sent oil prices spiking. Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 7.3% to $88.093 a barrel.

Jordan intercepts missiles and US strikes militias in Iraq

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it fired ballistic missiles at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key U.S. military hub for the region, in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency.

Jordan’s military said five Iranian missiles had been intercepted and destroyed. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The U.S. military later announced that American and Saudi fighter aircraft had struck multiple logistics and weapons sites in eastern Iraq in response to the alleged drone attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Defense Ministry warned that it “does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression.”

The Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of primarily Shiite Iranian-backed armed groups that is officially under the command of the Iraqi military, said at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 wounded in the overnight strikes. Six Iranian advisers were also killed, according to two Iraqi militia officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. Iran's deputy governor for political, security and social affairs in Markazi province told Iranian state media that four advisers were killed.

The coalition joined the fight against the Islamic State group after it seized large sections of Iraq in 2014. The Iraqi government later designated the coalition as an “independent military formation” within the armed forces, but the militias have significant autonomy and some have attacked U.S. facilities.

Iraq’s government decried the U.S.-Saudi attacks, though a Fox News reporter said in an on-air segment that Trump told him they were done in coordination with the Iraqi government.

The office of Iraqi President Nizar Amidi called the airstrikes “a blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”

Iraq’s National Security Council said the strikes had been carried out “while the Iraqi government was in contact with relevant parties to investigate and address all the concerns raised by the Saudi and American sides.” It said “a number of innocent people” had been killed and wounded.

A visit to Saudi Arabia by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi that had been scheduled for Thursday was postponed indefinitely, said two Iraqi government officials on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Attacks on Saudi oil facilities could worsen global energy crisis

Saudi Arabia is also locked in a renewed conflict with the Houthis. The rebels have declared a blockade of Saudi shipping that could choke off another crucial Middle East trade route, the Bab el-Mandeb strait from the Red Sea into the Gulf of Aden.

On Monday, the Houthis said they had launched drones targeting oil facilities used to transport oil across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, a key bypass for Saudi exports blocked by Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

The rebels said their attack was in response to a Saudi drone they said had breached Yemen’s airspace.

Planet Labs satellite imagery from Monday analyzed by AP showed damage to Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil-processing facility. The massive facility is capable of processing approximately 7 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Separately, a regional official said an oil refinery in Jazan, on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, had temporarily shut down due to “relatively significant” damage from a Houthi attack on Saturday. The official, who was not authorized to brief journalists and spoke on condition of anonymity, said it would take several days to be repaired. The refinery produces 400,000 barrels per day.

Iran rejects Oman proposal for managing Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz has been a major flashpoint in the conflict. Iran's deputy foreign minister said his country had rejected a proposal from Oman, which lies on the other side of the strait, to jointly manage ship traffic.

In an interview with Iran’s state-run television, Kazem Gharibabadi said Oman's proposal included dividing the strait into two routes.

Iran offered a counterproposal with a temporary plan for the transit of vessels through its territorial waters, he said, adding that Tehran's policy is for the strait “never to return to its prewar situation,” when ships moved freely.

___

Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo; Abby Sewell in Beirut; David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany; Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece; Matthew Lee, Konstantin Toropin and Aamer Madhani in Washington, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Celebrini had one year remaining on his three-year, $2.925 million entry-level contract before signing the deal that keeps him locked up with the Sharks through the 2031-32 season.

The $18.8 million average annual value of the deal that Celebrini reached with general manager Mike Grier and owner Hasso Plattner is the richest in NHL history, topping the $18 million a year Leo Carlsson got when Anaheim matched a five-year offer sheet from Philadelphia.

“We wanted to make sure Mack felt valued here and he was compensated fairly,” Grier said. “In our eyes, he’s the best young player in the league. So we felt like we wanted to pay him an amount that was commiserate with that. He was willing to take a little bit less to leave us some flexibility, so we can keep building out the roster as we go along.”

Celebrini could have signed a deal worth up to about $20.8 million a year, and Grier said Plattner was willing to pay that much if necessary. But Celebrini made clear early in the negotiations that he was willing to take a little less to make sure the Sharks had the flexibility to build a championship roster around him.

“That meant a lot to me,” Grier said. "He showed his faith and his commitment to the organization, and him wanting to be here and be successful here. It was pretty important and pretty cool for me to hear that from such a young player having that maturity.”

Celebrini, who turned 20 in June, has established himself as one of the game's top young stars since being picked first overall by San Jose in 2024. His 178 points are the fifth most for a teenager and his 70 career goals are seventh best for a player before turning 20.

Celebrini had 45 goals and 70 assists last season, with his 115 points breaking Joe Thornton’s franchise record of 114 set in 2006-07 and trailing Wayne Gretzky (137 in 1979-80) and Sidney Crosby (120 in 2006-07) for the most in a season for a player before turning 20.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini said in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.”

He had the 10th most points ever for a player who missed the playoffs, recording a point on 46.2% of San Jose goals for the second-best rate in the league behind Connor McDavid (48/9%) and the best ever for a teenager.

He also was the leading goal scorer in the Olympics, with five goals to help Canada win the silver medal.

Grier said he had no hesitation giving a young player like Celebrini so much money, saying he followed advice he got from his late father, Bobby, and brother, Chris, who were both longtime executives in the NFL.

“If you’re going to do a long-term extension with someone and pay them a lot of money, you’ve got to bet on the person first and foremost,” Grier said. “In this case, I think you couldn’t bet on a better kid than Mack. If it does anything, it’ll motivate him just to be even better than he already is. But I don’t think it will change him at all.”

Despite Celebrini's exploits, the Sharks still missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season. They improved by 34 points for the 10th best single-season jump in the last 30 years but landed four points out of the playoffs.

Celebrini is part of a strong young core in San Jose alongside fellow promising players like Michael Misa, Will Smith, Igor Chernyshov and Sam Dickinson. The Sharks added even more young talent this offseason with three first-round picks headlined by Swedish left winger Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 overall. They also added North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9 and WHL Vancouver play-making defenseman Ryan Lin at No. 21.

Grier also brought in veteran reinforcements at the start of the offseason, trading for defenseman Darnell Nurse and signing defenseman Jacob Trouba and forward Mason Marchment.

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

Lawyers for Comey made the allegations of misconduct in motions filed late Tuesday that also call the case a vindictive and selective prosecution, demand access to transcripts of grand jury proceedings to expose what they say are “irregularities” in how the indictment was secured, and describe “unlawful” surveillance of Comey by the Secret Service.

Taken together, the new motions, along with an earlier one this week that called Comey's social media post protected speech rather than a threat, represent a multipronged defense effort to dismantle a case that defense lawyers say exemplifies a Trump administration retribution campaign targeting one of the president's vocal critics.

“Ample objective evidence — much of which comes directly from government officials’ own public statements and admissions — establishes that the President’s animus toward Mr. Comey led to this vindictive and selective prosecution,” Comey’s lawyers wrote in one of the filings.

The case centers on a picture of seashells on the beach

Comey was charged in April with threatening Trump through a photo he posted on Instagram a year earlier depicting seashells he said he found on the beach in North Carolina in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.”

The Justice Department has said the photo constituted a threat against Trump, the 47th president. Comey deleted the post shortly after he put it up, saying he did not know that anyone interpreted the numbers as a call to violence. His lawyers have said that the slogan has long meant to “get rid of” or “eject” and has been featured on thousands of items sold online and regularly displayed at protests.

Defense lawyers say investigators who tried to prove that Comey intended a physical threat, or knew that the number “86” suggested violence, repeatedly came up empty but withheld that from federal magistrates as they applied for warrants to search the digital accounts associated with Comey and his wife.

For instance, the FBI searched an internal database of information about open and closed investigations for any indication of an association between Comey and the term “86” but found inconclusive results. An FBI agent also requested a review of the FBI file for the case against reputed mobster John Gambino, which Comey worked on as a young prosecutor, but found no references to the term “86.” Investigators also interviewed a key government cooperator in the case, Salvatore Gravano, who said he did not recall ever discussing the term “86” with Comey or hearing it in connection with the trial.

Defense lawyers say the search warrant affidavits were marred by “false statements,” including what they say were incorrect insinuations that one of Comey's attorneys had sought to hide evidence or that his wife had misled investigators.

“Evidence obtained during discovery supports at least a substantial preliminary showing that the affidavits submitted in support of two of the search warrants contained intentionally false statements and material omissions, and that those defects vitiate any conceivable showing of probable cause,” Comey's lawyers wrote.

Defense lawyers say the case is rooted in Trump's personal animus

In addition, defense lawyers say the warrant applications distort statements made to investigators by a person who knew Comey but has now been estranged from him for years.

The person, whose name is not disclosed in court documents, is described in an affidavit as saying that they immediately perceived Comey's post to have a violent meaning. But investigators omitted that the person said their initial impression was that “86” referred to being “out of something on the menu” and only later concluded that it could be understood as a call to violence.

The person said that view was influenced by having listened to an episode of Rudy Giuliani's online show in which the Trump loyalist claimed that Comey had worked on mob cases as a prosecutor in which mafia members used “86” to mean “kill.” But the FBI's own investigation determined Giuliani's claims to be untrue, defense lawyers said.

The case against Comey over the seashells was the second in recent months targeting the ex-FBI director, a long-running Trump foe whom the president has, over the years, said deserves to be prosecuted.

An earlier case in Virginia accusing Comey of lying to Congress was dismissed in November after a judge concluded that the prosecutor who charged him and another Trump adversary, New York Attorney General Letitia James, had been illegally appointed.

Comey's lawyers describe the prosecutions as rooted in Trump's own personal animus. The Secret Service closely coordinated with the Justice Department and with Trump himself about Comey's interview, according to Comey's lawyers, who also say the president was sent frequent updates on Air Force One and had asked to be briefed.

As Comey returned to Washington with his wife to be interviewed by law enforcement about his post, Secret Service agents were directed to conduct “unlawful” electronic surveillance, “including as they stopped to visit the grave of their deceased son," his lawyers said. The surveillance had been requested by a senior Justice Department official.

Comey was the FBI director when Trump took office in 2017, having been appointed by then-President Barack Obama and previously serving as a senior Justice Department official in President George W. Bush’s administration. Trump fired Comey in May 2017 as the FBI was investigating potential ties between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign. The men have been openly at odds ever since.

The Justice Department will have an opportunity to respond to the defense filings. It has not elaborated on any evidence of intent the government has. But acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier this year that prosecutors in every case prove intent with “witnesses, with documents, with the defendant himself to the extent it’s appropriate.”

“And that’s how we’ll prove intent in this case,” Blanche said in April, shortly after he was elevated to lead the department after Pam Bondi’s ouster.

On the roughly 7-minute recording, Patrick Clancy can be heard speaking with his wife upon finding her badly injured and bleeding in their yard, after she jumped from the home’s second-story window.

“Look at me,” he says. “Say my name.”

He then tells the dispatcher he's going to check on the children. Moments later, he howls and cries after finding them in the basement. The confused dispatcher repeatedly asks what happened.

“She killed the kids!" he yells.

Three years after their deaths, the murder trial has centered on Lindsay Clancy’s mental state at the time. Her lawyers will seek to prove she had postpregnancy psychosis, a rare mental illness linked to the stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes that follow childbirth.

Prosecutors say Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, acted intentionally and is criminally responsible for the deaths of 3-year-old Dawson, 5-year-old Cora, and 8-month-old Callan in January 2023.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

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Her lawyer said in opening arguments Monday that she had bipolar disorder, and that antidepressants prescribed after the birth of her third child worsened her condition. On the day of the killings, Lindsay Clancy said she heard a voice telling her, “This is your last chance. Kill the children so you can kill yourself,” according to her lawyer.

If convicted of murder, she faces life in prison without parole. If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

Patrick Clancy has said in interviews that he forgives his ex-wife, whom he viewed as ill rather than evil. The trial marks the first time he has seen Lindsay Casey since the killings.

A husband's emotional testimony and a chilling 911 call

Patrick Clancy testified Wednesday that his last image of Dawson was of the boy sitting on the couch, eating chicken nuggets and green beans. Lindsay Clancy had asked her husband to make a quick trip for takeout food and medication at a pharmacy for Cora. Prosecutors say this was an excuse to get him out of the house.

Jurors were shown surveillance video from the pharmacy of Patrick Clancy on the phone with his wife, asking a question about the medicine.

“She was pretty quiet. It sounded like she was busy,” he testified Wednesday. “I remember hanging up thinking she was probably in the middle of giving baths or something like that.”

Returning home, it was unusually silent. He called out to his family.

When no one answered, he searched the children’s rooms and the bathroom, again thinking they might be in the tub, before finding blood throughout the main bedroom and a window open.

Injured but conscious, Lindsay Clancy told him she’d tried to kill herself and that the kids were in the basement, without saying they were dead. He didn’t realize he was still on the phone with 911 as he ran downstairs to find each had been strangled with exercise bands.

Lindsay Clancy's parents, seated in the front of the court, also cried as the call was played. Patrick had already left the room after finishing his testimony.

Jurors were shown the clothes each child had been wearing, with a prosecutor pulling the items from clear plastic evidence bags: pajamas and a pink robe for Cora; a nightshirt and dinosaur underwear for Dawson; a red onesie decorated with snowflakes for Callan.

The trial will hinge on Lindsay Clancy’s mental state

Patrick Clancy testified Monday about his wife's deteriorating mental health in the months before the killings, including her telling him about intrusive thoughts of harming the children and of suicide.

Lindsay Clancy had sought care from experts in postpartum mood disorders, was put on multiple psychiatric medications, and when nothing worked, checked in to a psychiatric hospital. She killed the children 19 days after she was discharged.

No one ever told Patrick Clancy his wife shouldn't be alone with the children, he testified Wednesday. “I didn’t know what psychosis was until after this happened.”

Clancy and her ex-husband accuse her medical providers of failing to properly diagnose, treat and monitor her, according to lawsuits filed earlier this year.

On cross-examination, Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, aimed to demonstrate she took her medications and closely tracked her declining mental health. He introduced daily, handwritten notes she took of her medicines and her mood, including repeatedly writing “horrible thoughts.” She also had a book and fact sheet on postpartum anxiety and a chart where she tracked her mood.

Reddington also got Patrick Clancy to acknowledge that many of her medical appointments starting in the summer of 2022 were with nurse practitioners and on Zoom calls lasting only 20 minutes. They also went through multiple medications she was prescribed, including Seroquel -- an antipsychotic medication for which doctors increased her dosage in December.

“The idea was that it would help with sleep, but she didn’t get better. She got worse,” Patrick Clancy said.

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

13. Terrell Pinkney II

Position/school: ATH/Trinity Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-4, 196.

Recruiting: Committed to USF.

Why here’s here: A three-star prospect by Rivals and 247 Sports, Pinkney’s recruiting picked up major steam after the 2025 season. He’s a safety/linebacker/corner hybrid for the Conquerors but can line up anywhere, even on offense, if needed. Pinkney showcased in a playoff win over University Christian last year that he can play corner very well, too. Pinkney intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart a UC drive and added a pick-six in that game as well.

14. Zion Green

Position/school: ATH/Raines.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-4, 170.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why here’s here: A major recruit in the Class of 2028 who has excellent size for a player in the secondary. Likely a cornerback or safety at the next level. He’s an On3 and 247 Sports four-star recruit and a three-star by ESPN and Rivals. Green is a top 160 national recruit by 247 Sports. He was a spot receiver last year and produced. Had just 12 catches for 269 yards and turned four of those grabs into TDs. Had four tackles last year. Really picked up recruiting steam after the Vikings’ 14-0 season that ended with a Class 3A state championship. Will be counted on to deliver far greater on both sides of the ball as a junior.

15. Knox Annis

Position/school: QB/Mandarin.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-3/210.

Recruiting: Committed to Miami.

Why he’s here: Annis was thrown to the fire as he unexpectedly began his varsity career just six quarters into his freshman season due to an injury to starter Tramell Jones Jr. The results were difficult. But Annis took a greater step forward last season, boosting his completion percentage by nearly 20 points. He’s coming off a 22-TD passing season. This is a huge growing season for Annis. He committed to Miami, and a school like that creates its own set of expectations. But he is poised to take another step in his journey.

16. Marcus Small

Position/school: OL/First Coast.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-7, 290.

Recruiting: Committed to Syracuse.

Why here’s here: A consensus three-star recruit, Small is ranked between the 51st (ESPN) and 120th (Rivals/On3) player in Florida this year. He’s not only big but he’s very versatile for the Buccaneers and head coach Jarvis Parker. Small can flip to left or right tackle and earned All-Gateway and first-team All-News4JAX honors last year. As Small goes, so will the First Coast offense.

17. Omari Lawson

Position/school: Zarephath Academy.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-6, 260.

Recruiting: Committed to Syracuse.

Why he’s here: Zarephath is a younger program, so seeing a player listed may be a bit of a shock. But Lawson is a talent who can’t be looked over just because of school size. Power Four programs across the country have zeroed in on Lawson. He’s a four-star prospect at tackle and may wind up being the area’s fifth-best recruit in a blockbuster 2028 class. Come next year, this ranking could seem laughably low.

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).

The Seattle company said global same-store sales in its fiscal third quarter rose 7.9%, which was well above the 5.7% increase Wall Street was expecting, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Same-store sales also were up 7.9% in the U.S. during the April-June period, the company said.

Starbucks said it now expects global same-store sales to grow 6% for its full fiscal year, which ends Sept. 28. The company previously forecast same-store sales to grow 5% for the year. The company also expects full-year earnings per share of $2.55 to $2.65, up from $2.25 to $2.45 previously.

Starbucks shares were up more than 5% in after-hours trading Wednesday.

Starbucks said its business grew across customer income levels and in the morning as well as the afternoon. Customers spent more per visit, partly due to growth in delivery orders but also due to innovative drinks, the company said.

S’mores Cold Brew, which features marshmallow syrup, marshmallow cream cold foam and a graham cracker topping, was particularly popular with Generation Z customers and is one of the company’s strongest limited-time summer offerings in years, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said.

Niccol said Starbucks' fruity Refreshers also continued to see strong demand despite growing competition. McDonald's added fruity drinks to its U.S. menu in May, for example.

Niccol said Starbucks' redesign of stores to give them a cozier, coffeehouse feel helped in improving sales.

“People just feel better about, you know, even doing their mobile order pickup when they go to a coffeehouse versus a place that maybe wasn’t up to our Starbucks standards,” Niccol said Wednesday during a conference call with investors.

Starbucks has revamped more than 1,000 stores across North America so far and plans to complete another 500 before the end of its fiscal year.

Revenue fell 1% to $9.3 billion for the quarter, which also beat analysts’ forecast of $9.2 billion. Part of the drop in revenue was due to Starbucks' sale of a stake in its China business, a transaction that was completed in April.

Starbucks said its results also got a boost from a tariff refund it applied for and received during its fiscal third quarter. The refund largely offset tariffs that Starbucks paid in the first three quarters of its fiscal year, the company said.

Starbucks said its net income rose 87% to $1 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 85 cents per share, which surpassed analysts' forecast of 66 cents.

The Storm didn't elaborate on the nature of the incident and didn't say which Storm co-owner was involved.

“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game. We apologize that this happened,” Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder said in the statement released Wednesday. “Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect."

The incident occurred Tuesday night during an evening that began with a demonstration outside Climate Pledge Arena. The team didn't say if the exchange was related to the protest.

Ahead of the game, a crowd of a few dozen gathered to both support Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and to promote a statewide ballot initiative, IL26-638, that would bar transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics at Washington schools.

Some members of the group carried signs in support of Cunningham or wore T-shirts depicting the XX and XY chromosomes. Some of them were also inside the arena during the game.

Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports in an ESPN article published last week. Cunningham was booed by Storm fans when she checked into Tuesday’s game, as well as when attempting her first free throws of the night.

Cunningham was not made available to answer postgame questions.

Kelsey Mitchell and Monique Billings addressed the media instead, alongside head coach Stephanie White.

When White was asked about the rally and Cunningham’s recent comments, a Fever public relations representative intervened with the following statement:

“Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers,” the statement said. “Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission.”

Storm head coach Sonia Raman also briefly addressed a question about the pregame protest following her team’s seventh consecutive loss.

“Seattle and this organization and Climate Pledge, we always want to be an area where people feel welcome coming into this building,” Raman said. “I think we’ve always done a really good job with that. So, I know our organization was working closely with Climate Pledge and the security just to make sure that everybody feels safe and included and welcome when they walk in this door.

“From what I understand, that was successful.”

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

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Will Furry

Occupation: Vice-Chair of the Flagler County Board of Education, Small Business Owner, Former Banking and Finance Executive

Age: 51

Family: I have been married to my amazing wife for 21 years and have two teenage boys who actively attend Flagler Schools.

Education: Institutional traing with the Florida School Board Association, CTE Certification for careers with children, Miami-Dade Community Collage School of Real Estate.

Political experience: Elected in 2022 to the Flagler School Board and two term Chair of The Flagler Board of Education.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

One of the top issues facing Flagler Schools is early learning. Too many students arrive unprepared for kindergarten. I support expanding pre-kindergarten access, placing certified teachers in those classrooms, and providing parents with resources to help their children enter school ready to learn and succeed. Expanding Career and Technical Education remains a top priority. This year, 65% of our graduates earned a Diploma Plus through career and technical certifications, dual enrollment, or Advanced Placement—up from 42% the previous year. That progress reflects our commitment to preparing students for college, careers, and life, and I believe we can achieve even greater results. School choice continues to grow, so our goal is to make Flagler Schools the best choice for families. I support expanding innovative learning environments, extracurricular opportunities, and flexible programs, including hybrid options that allow homeschool families to access selected classes and school services.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I am uniquely qualified to continue serving because I bring experience, institutional knowledge, and a proven record of conservative leadership. As the board’s longest-serving current member, I have invested countless hours learning the complexities of the district and have consistently focused on strong governance, fiscal responsibility, and student success.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

It has been an honor to serve our community as the District 2 School Board member since my election in 2022. I’m running on promises made, promises kept. Together, we’ve delivered top-down leadership change, cut wasteful spending, ended money-losing programs, achieved year-over-year academic gains, and, most importantly, returned Flagler Schools to an A-rated district.

Campaign website: www.willfurryforschoolboard.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Rob Wood

Occupation: Self-employed owner of Exo-Pro Pressure and Soft Wash Solutions.

I spent the last 10-years as a senior leader in the School of Business at Wester Governors University, where I led the leaders that served more than 17,000 students.

Age: 49

Family: My beautiful wife Stacy of 26 years, son Ethan 24 and daughter Courtney 23

Education: AAS, Aircraft Systems Maintenance Technology

AAS, Instructor of Technology & Military Science

AAS, Occupational Education - Business

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education - Business

Masters of Business Administration - Finance

Post Graduate Certificate - Leadership

Political experience: This is my first time running for public office.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

First, how the board itself functions. A school board sets the budget, sets policy, hires and supports the superintendent, and models the conduct we expect in our schools. Over the last four years, that standard has not always been met. I lead with relationships first, commitment to the mission over compliance, and doing no harm. I have spent my career cultivating positive, high-functioning culture in the teams I have led, and it is the work I am uniquely qualified to bring to this board.

Second, real fiscal responsibility, which means planning ahead instead of reacting. A property tax change is coming that will squeeze the county and city we share costs with, and some of what they help fund flows straight to our schools, from roughly sixty percent of our school resource officer costs to the Carver Center our district runs. So I want a comprehensive look at every dollar that reaches our schools from another source, not just our own levy, and a clear-eyed strategy to fully fund the things that matter, our SROs, the Carver Center, and anything else exposed, before a shortfall ever reaches a classroom. That is the difference between a board that manages and a board that leads: we see it coming, we do the analysis, and we have a plan ready.

Third, enrollment and readiness, and that begins before kindergarten. Children who attend VPK arrive far better prepared, and early reading is the single strongest predictor of everything that follows. Yet many families who want VPK can’t use it, and the barrier isn’t desire, it’s resources. VPK only covers part of the day, so a working parent still needs wrap-around care they often can’t afford, and in our county, getting a four-year-old to and from class falls entirely on the family. I want us tackling those friction points head-on: partnering with our early learning coalition and local employers to help fund wrap-around care for working families, and finding creative ways to solve transportation, so that a work schedule or a missing ride is never the reason a child misses their best shot at reading on grade level. We can do this by braiding the funding that already exists rather than asking taxpayers for more, and every family we reach early is one more student ready for what comes next: college, a trade, the military, or a career right here at home.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

My career has been in education, leadership, and organizational development, the actual work of taking teams and helping them align, function, and deliver. As a senior leader in higher education, I support the leaders who serve more than seventeen thousand students. So when I look at a board that has struggled to work together, I don’t just see a problem. I see the exact work I have done throughout my career: bringing people together around a shared mission and getting results. That is a skill this seat needs right now, and it is not one every candidate brings.

I pair that with a career of fiscal accountability and a small business owner’s respect for every dollar, so I can read a budget and a contract and know where waste hides.

And none of this is abstract for me. My wife taught at Old Kings for eight years. Our kids graduated from Flagler schools. I have spent eleven years in uniform and sixteen years in this county. I am not here to start a political career. I am an educator who wants to serve the schools that shaped my own family.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I want to be remembered as the board member who showed up.

Not just at the podium, but at school events, building real relationships with our teachers, our administrators, and every one of our support staff. But showing up isn’t just being there. It’s what you do while you’re there, and how you lift up the people around you.

It also means doing all the quieter work that makes a great board member: attending legislative days, investing in my own development through the trainings and seminars, and coming to every meeting fully prepared, in a way that honors the time, energy, and commitment our superintendent and staff pour in every day.

If people remember me as the one who showed up, all the way, for the right reasons, I will have done this job right.

Campaign website: robwoodforflagler.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Cathy Moon

Occupation: I bring nearly 30 years of experience in program/project management with multiple federal agencies and increasing levels of responsibility, which culminated in an executive leadership role in Washington, D.C. I retired in 2017, moved to Flagler County, started and operated a small business from 2018 through 2024, and then retired again. Now I have the time to give back to my community full-time.

Age: 68

Family: My husband and I have four adult children and one granddaughter. We chose to make Flagler County our home because family matters more than anything. We gave up the dream of retiring internationally because watching our grandchild grow up is simply priceless.

Education: I hold a bachelor’s degree in health and safety education, a graduate certificate in human resources, and a master’s degree in business administration.

Political experience: This is my first run for office.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Flagler County’s schools are at a crossroads. The decisions this board makes in the next few years will shape outcomes for an entire generation of students. Three issues demand urgent, experienced leadership.

________________________________________

Our Kindergarten Readiness Crisis

Only 37% of Flagler County children arrive at kindergarten ready to learn. Research tells us that most who fall behind at this stage will never fully catch up. That is not a statistic. That is a child whose potential is slipping away before they ever open their first textbook.

A free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program already exists. Yet far too many families are not accessing it. I have listened carefully to parents across this community, and the message is consistent. The single greatest barrier keeping children from this free program is the lack of transportation. Many argue that we simply cannot afford to provide it because the state does not fund VPK transportation. I understand that argument. But I believe we are asking the wrong question.

The real question is this: What is the true cost of NOT providing transportation?

When a child misses VPK and arrives at kindergarten unprepared, our school system invests additional resources in intervention, remediation, and support services for that child across all thirteen years of their K-12 education. Multiply that investment across the hundreds of children who miss VPK every single year, and the financial case for solving the transportation barrier becomes impossible to ignore. The cost of inaction far exceeds the cost of a solution.

As your School Board member, I will convene parents, educators, transportation officials, and community partners to find creative, fiscally responsible solutions to this barrier. I will also advocate at the state level for VPK transportation funding, because this is not a challenge unique to Flagler County. Every child deserves to arrive at kindergarten ready to thrive, and I will not accept transportation as an excuse for inaction.

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Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Florida’s educators are stretched thin, underappreciated, and in many cases underpaid. Flagler County is not immune to this crisis. When we lose experienced, talented teachers, our most vulnerable students pay the highest price.

Retaining great teachers requires more than words of appreciation. It requires competitive compensation, affordable health insurance, meaningful administrative support, and a school culture where educators feel respected and empowered. I hold both a degree in education and an MBA, and I am honored to be advised by a team of retired Flagler County educators who understand deeply what keeps great teachers in our classrooms and what drives them away.

I will fight to make Flagler County schools a place where exceptional educators choose to build long, fulfilling careers. Because when we invest in our teachers, we invest directly in every student they will ever teach.

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Economic Uncertainty

Federal and state funding pressures are real and growing. Every dollar lost to inefficiency, bureaucracy, or lack of accountability is a dollar stolen directly from our classrooms.

My entire career was built around doing more with less. I led teams that saved the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars without a single layoff or service cut. I know how to protect resources, identify inefficiencies, prioritize strategically, and ensure every available dollar serves students first. I will bring that same discipline, creativity, and transparency to Flagler County’s budget.

Economic uncertainty is not an excuse for failure. It is a call for exactly the kind of experienced, focused leadership I am prepared to provide.

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Flagler’s students deserve focused, experienced, and principled leadership. The challenges are real, but so are the solutions.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

The answer begins with preparation, experience, and an unrelenting commitment to Flagler County’s students.

I bring graduate level credentials no other candidate in this race possesses. While all candidates hold a bachelor’s degree in education, I also hold a graduate certificate in Human Resources and a Master of Business Administration. Understanding what happens inside classrooms matters deeply. But governing a school district also requires sophisticated financial literacy, strategic planning, and leadership expertise. I bring all of it.

I bring a proven record of fiscal leadership at the highest level. My career was built on solving complex problems, leading highly effective teams on a national scale, and delivering results that saved the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars without a single layoff or service cut. I wrote national policy. I managed budgets of extraordinary complexity. I know how to protect resources, eliminate inefficiency, and ensure every dollar serves the people it was intended to serve. In a time of growing federal and state funding uncertainty, Flagler County needs that experience at the table.

I bring a fresh perspective combined with deep local roots. I am not a career politician and I have no ideological agenda to advance. I am a retired executive who chose to make Flagler County home because of its community, its families, and its potential. I am fully retired with no competing professional commitments, which means I will attend every board meeting, every training, and every legislative day in Tallahassee. I will build relationships with state representatives and fight relentlessly for Flagler’s fair share of funding.

I bring the trusted voices of retired Flagler County educators. I am honored to be advised by educators who dedicated their careers to these schools, these students, and this community. Their institutional knowledge and classroom experience ensure that the voice of Flagler’s educational community will always have a seat at my table.

I bring a specific, urgent focus on our kindergarten readiness crisis. Only 37% of Flagler children arrive kindergarten ready. Research tells us most who fall behind will never fully catch up. Parents have told me clearly that lack of transportation is the greatest barrier to accessing our free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program. I will ask the question others have not: what is the true cost of NOT solving this problem? When we calculate the additional resources invested in unprepared students across thirteen years of schooling, the case for finding a solution becomes undeniable. I will convene the right people and find one.

What I offer voters is simple. Graduate level expertise. Proven national leadership. Fiscal discipline. Full time availability. Trusted local advisors. And a genuine, unrelenting commitment to making Flagler County’s public schools the best they can possibly be for every single student.

I am Cathy Moon, and I am asking for your vote on August 18th.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

If I serve this community well, I hope to be remembered as the board member who finally solved Flagler County’s kindergarten readiness crisis, not by talking about it, but by building the village required to actually fix it.

The data provided by Flagler County Schools tells an urgent story. In 2024-2025, 35% of Flagler kindergartners did not attend our free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program. Of those who completed VPK, 65% tested kindergarten ready. Of those who did not attend, only 36% tested ready. In the fall of 2025, readiness scores dropped to just 37% of all kindergarten students. Children who arrive unprepared are significantly more likely to struggle with third grade reading scores, and those early skills gaps follow them for years, quietly closing doors before a child ever realizes it.

This is not acceptable. And it is not inevitable.

The barriers keeping families from VPK are real, layered, and solvable. Transportation is the most frequently cited obstacle. But the challenge runs deeper. Our VPK program operates only half a day. After care is available, but the $80 weekly fee is out of reach for many families. For some, that choice comes down to their child’s education or food on the table. No family should face that impossible choice. Assistance programs exist for qualifying families, but awareness and access remain inconsistent. The good news is that Florida only requires booster seats for four-year-olds rather than full car seats, making the logistics of providing transportation meaningfully more manageable than many assume.

Awareness is equally critical. More than a third of families with students currently in Flagler County schools moved here within the last four years. In many states, VPK is not free. These families may simply not know what is available to them here. We must reach families the moment they arrive in Flagler County, not after kindergarten registration opens. Additionally, some parents may not fully understand the difference between VPK and daycare, or appreciate the profound long-term impact of kindergarten readiness on their child’s entire educational journey. Changing that understanding requires intentional, compassionate community outreach.

This issue will require a true village. School district leaders, transportation officials, community organizations, faith communities, pediatricians, local businesses, and state legislators all have a role to play. The good news is that this challenge can be tackled strategically and in phases, with each solution building on the last.

I will ask the question that deserves a definitive answer: what is the true cost of NOT solving this? When unprepared children require additional intervention and remediation resources across thirteen years of schooling, the human and financial case for removing these barriers becomes impossible to ignore.

Every child in Flagler County deserves to walk through their kindergarten door ready to learn, ready to grow, and ready to succeed. If my service helps make that a reality for significantly more of our children, that will have been time extraordinarily well spent.

Campaign website: www.cathymoon4flaglerschoolboard.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Jill R. Woolbright

Occupation: Retired Flagler County Teacher of 28 years and former School Board Member for District 1 2020-2022.

Age: 68

Family: I have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

Education: University of Central Florida BS degree in Elementary Education

Political experience: Former Flagler School Board member for District 1 2020-2022

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Academic Achievement: Reading and math proficiency needs improvement year over year to maintain our A District rating. I would use data to identify successful instructional practice, support teachers with evidence-based resources, and ensure every decision is focused on improving student outcomes.

2. Trust Through Transparency and Parent Engagement: trust needs to be rebuilt by communicating openly with families and ensuring parents are informed and involved in decisions affecting their children. This includes compliance with Florida law regarding parental rights, clear communication from the district, and greater transparency in curriculum, policies, and spending.

3. Fiscal Responsibility and Workforce Support: We need to make the best use of taxpayer dollars and pay our staff better.. Each year, I hope we can make gains in equalizing the steps on the teacher pay schedule where 9 years were compressed to the same pay. Classroom spending need to be prioritized, we need to retain and recruit top level teachers and staff, and partner wth the local business community to strengthen our classroom to career programs and opportunities.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I bring a combination of experience that is difficult to match. I spend 28 years teaching in Flagler County classrooms, served on the Flagler County School Board, and have lived in this community since 1989 while raising three children who graduated from Flagler Schools. I understand how board decision affect students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers because have experienced each of those perspectives firsthand. As Florida’s #1 sixth-grade math teacher for student academic growth in 2016 and a High Impact Teacher, I have a proven record of improving student outcomes. My background allows me to evaluate district policies through both the classroom and governance lens, helping ensure decision are practical fiscally responsible, and focused on student success.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would hope to be remembered for helping restore trust in Flagler Schools where we are parents first choice for educating their children while improving student achievement and keeping the focus where it belongs--on students. I want parents to know theirr voices were heard, teachers and staff to feel respected and supported, and taxpayers to know their dollars were managed responsibly. If , at the end of my service, our schools are safer, academic outcomes are stronger, families are more engaged, and the community has greater confidence in the district, I would consider that a successful egacy. My goal is not simply to hold office, but to leave Flagler Schools stronger and better prepared to serve ever student for years to come.

Campaign website: jill4kids.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

RELATED | St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office sergeant arrested, fired after violating protective injunction: SJCSO

The sheriff’s office said its Special Victims Unit (SVU) started investigating Sgt. Michael Clark, 54, on July 23.

According to the report, on July 24, a temporary injunction for protection against dating violence that a woman filed against Clark was granted with the stipulation he would not have contact with the woman.

The following day, Clark, of the corrections division, violated the injunction and was arrested by the SJSO Special Victims Unit, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to the arrest report, around 12:30 that day, Clark allegedly sent a text message that included a photo of his injured arm to the woman. He told investigators he sent the photo by accident.

The injunction specifically states, “Respondent shall have no contact with Petitioner. Respondent shall not directly or indirectly contact Petitioner in person, by mail, e-mail, fax, telephone, through another person, or in any other manner. Further, Respondent shall not contact or have any third-party contact with anyone connected with Petitioner’s employment or school to inquire about Petitioner or to send any messages to Petitioner.”

The SJSO Special Victims Unit took Clark into custody, and he was booked into the SJSO Detention Center before being transferred to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Clark has since bonded out with GPS monitoring.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says it fired Clark following the alleged criminal act.

Clark led the reentry and outreach program at the sheriff’s office.

Clark worked to help people incarcerated in the detention center and provided them with the necessary support to successfully transition back into society.

Clark had worked for the sheriff’s office since 2006 and held several positions within the agency.

The sheriff’s office said no further details will be released, citing the sensitive and active nature of the investigation.

News4JAX contacted the alleged victim in the case, and she declined to comment.

We have also tried to reach the attorney for Clark but did not immediately hear back.

Domestic violence resources:

Free, confidential support is available 24/7 through Hubbard House’s Hotline at 904-354-3114 and Text line at 904-210-3698.

If you or someone you know is or has been a victim of domestic violence or abuse, here’s a list of other resources available:

• The Florida Domestic Violence Hotline, which will direct you to the nearest shelter, is 1-800-500-1119.
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24 hours a day. The number is 1-800-799-SAFE.
• The Micah’s Place (Nassau County) Domestic Violence Help Hotline is 904-225-9979.
• The Quigley House (Clay County) hotline is 904-284-0061.
• The Betty Griffin Center (St. Johns County) can be reached at 904-824-1555.

Interlochen Center for the Arts operates a summer camp and performing arts school that draws students from around the world. It hired a law firm in 2024 to investigate reports of sexual abuse by faculty and staff. Subsequently, it expanded the work to include information about Epstein, the 66-year-old financier who killed himself in jail in 2019.

Interlochen removed Epstein's name from a lodge after he was convicted of sex offenses in Florida in 2008. The building, renamed the Green Lake Lodge, was recently demolished after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages about him that had been compiled over the years.

Sanghavi Law Office says it collected 70 accounts from alumni alleging “physical conduct of a sexual nature” by 47 faculty and staff members affiliated with Interlochen from the 1950s through the 2010s, most before 2000.

“The information gathered during this investigation is, simply, devastating,” the 97-page report says, noting that alumni reported grooming, flirting, sexual touching and sex.

Interlochen said it has provided names of people accused of misconduct to Grand Traverse County authorities in northern Michigan to determine what steps, if any, might be taken. None are currently employed there, and more than a third are dead.

“We are deeply sorry for the harm experienced by members of our community and extend our apologies to those impacted by abuse at Interlochen,” president Trey Davey and board chair Barrett Rollins said in a letter to the community posted online.

“While the vast majority of the incidents described in the investigation took place many decades ago, and reports of abuse at Interlochen have significantly decreased over the past 25 years, the passage of time does not diminish the experiences of our alumni,” they said. “Sexual abuse committed by an adult in a position of power or trust against a student is wrong, then and now.”

Interlochen today “is fundamentally different from the institution described in this report,” Davey and Rollins wrote, with comprehensive safety policies and a changed culture.

Epstein, who played the bassoon, was an Interlochen camper in 1967. He donated more than $400,000 to the school between 1990 and 2003.

Two women told investigators that Epstein engaged in conduct of a sexual nature with them, one of them at the Interlochen lodge that bore his name.

He brushed against her body “over her clothes, in a manner in which he indicated was accidental,” according to the report.

Epstein also paid for her to visit him in New York while she was a student. She said “every time he was ‘handsy’ with her, she would freeze until he would stop,” the report states.

The other woman said she gave Epstein a massage at his home, according to the report, and he may have asked her to remove her top. She never had any further contact with Epstein or his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Outside of the school investigation, at least two Interlochen alumnae made allegations of grooming and abuse against Epstein and Maxwell, according to federal records and media reports. Their identities were not made public.

One testified against Maxwell in 2021 when she was convicted of sex trafficking. It’s unclear whether those women spoke to the law firm hired for the Interlochen investigation.

Their concern: the city is five years behind on required financial audits, putting its charter and its future as an incorporated city at risk.

For many in the room, the frustration ran deep.

“I’m just at a loss,” said Woodbine resident Jannie Everette. “For the first time in my life, I have considered packing my stuff and leaving Woodbine.”

Others were more pointed, noting that getting all five council members in the same room was itself an achievement.

“It took a whole lot to get all five of you in the same room,” one resident told the council.

Georgia cities are required to submit annual financial audits to the state. Woodbine has not completed one in five years. Without those audits, the city is ineligible for state grants used to fund road upkeep and other municipal projects. State lawmakers have warned that the legislature could revoke the city’s charter, which would effectively dissolve Woodbine as an incorporated city and fold it into unincorporated Camden County.

State Sen. Mike Hodges, R-St. Simons Island, has said the legislature is “losing patience” with non-compliant cities. He and state Rep. Steven Sainz, R-St. Marys, have introduced draft legislation that could amend or revoke Woodbine’s charter if the city does not come into compliance.

Mayor Kizzi Knight acknowledged the seriousness of the situation but stopped short of making excuses.

“We’ve had a lot of things that happened during the last five years,” Knight said. “However, I won’t make them an excuse why we don’t have those audits complete.”

When asked what steps the city is taking to get back into compliance, Knight said the city has contracted with a new auditing firm, CKH Group, to address the five-year backlog.

“So we contracted with a firm, with an audit firm, and currently we’re on track,” she said.

But she was candid about the timeline.

“It’s going to take a while. It’s not gonna happen overnight. It will be a couple of years.”

Knight also acknowledged the deeper problem facing the city goes beyond the audit.

“I am confident that we will get the audit done,” she said. “Where my confidence is shaken is in the governance.”

Ultimately, responsibility for ensuring audits are submitted to the state falls on the city council, the mayor, and City Administrator Samantha Young. Young was not present at Tuesday night’s town hall, but her name came up repeatedly as residents questioned who is handling the city’s finances.

Residents at the meeting said she has effectively been doing the job of three people.

“They need to fire her! They need to give them some help in there,” one resident said during the meeting. “I told them before, she’s got three different jobs.”

News4JAX reached out to Young via email and attempted to speak with her in person Tuesday by stopping by Town Hall. We were told she was unavailable due to previously scheduled meetings. A follow-up request for comment has not yet been answered.

For many Woodbine residents, the audit failure is not just a paperwork problem — it is a crisis of trust.

“You’re in crisis,” resident Janney Everett told the council. “The citizens are waiting to hear from you.”

Resident Robert Nason said he fears for the city’s future.

“I hate to see Woodbine go down,” Nason said. “But I think it’s just bad management.”

Nason added that residents are already organizing to hold elected officials accountable.

“We are going to do some recalls and some revoting and stuff like that, trying to get things changed,” he said.

News4JAX has also submitted a formal open records request to the City of Woodbine for all financial audits from fiscal years 2020 through 2025, as well as any correspondence with the state regarding audit compliance. The city has acknowledged receipt of that request and says it will respond in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act.

What Comes Next

Mayor Knight says she plans to bring residents’ concerns to the city council and hopes to have the audit issue added to the agenda for its next meeting.

That meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Woodbine City Hall.

The mayor and the city are currently working with the state and CKH Group to bring Woodbine back into compliance, but Knight was clear that resolution will not come quickly.

Musk's company sued Monday in federal court, days before the law is set to take effect Saturday and make Minnesota the first state to try to outlaw the increasingly proliferating technology that lets people use AI to to create fake nude images of real people. The law was signed in May.

In the 38-page lawsuit, xAI — whose AI model chatbot and image generator Grok is available on the social media platform known as X, formerly Twitter, and elsewhere — said it does not contest the state's interest in banning the distribution of AI-generated nude images of real people without their consent. But it said Minnesota's law “extends far beyond that goal,” banning many constitutionally protected images and video and subjecting the company to a penalty of $500,000 per violation.

The lawsuit argues there is no “safe harbor” provision for companies that make good-faith efforts to prevent such images from being created by users, and that it covers images that were consented to by the depicted person, or even created by that person.

It also says the law’s definition of “intimate part” is overly broad, covering body parts that are routinely displayed in public.

In a statement, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said his office had not been served with the lawsuit yet or seen it.

“But I know that using AI to generate nude images of people against their will is appalling. There are plenty of worthy debates to have about AI policy. This is not one of them. AI nudification robs the target of their dignity and can cause immense harm on an emotional, personal, and professional level,” Ellison said.

State laws over election deepfakes have had mixed results in courts. California's law was blocked over First Amendment speech protections. Minnesota's law has thus far survived a 2025 court challenge by Musk's company.

The law is distinct from state and federal laws that outlaw deepfakes, AI-generated sexually explicit images of people without their consent. Those laws typically penalize the people who use the tools to make these images, not the makers of the tools themselves. The federal Take it Down Act, passed last year, also requires websites and apps to implement a process to remove those images.

Texas last year took on nudification in a slightly different way. It made a website or app owner liable to civil damages from a person depicted in a nudified image — and potentially criminal penalties — if the website or app owner knew the person hadn't given consent to its creation or fails to take it down promptly when told about it.

In the lawsuit, xAI said the terms of service for using Grok prohibit using it for “any illegal, harmful, or abusive activities" that violate someone's privacy, including altering their image to nudify them or depict them in a sexually explicit image. It said it enforces those rules against violators through account suspensions or terminations, and by reporting suspected child sexual abuse content.

XAI also said earlier this year that it has “zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content.”

After a global backlash over sexualized images of women and children, Grok said in January it will geoblock content if it violates laws in a particular place, preventing people from editing photos of real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal. Grok’s “spicy mode” had allowed users to create explicit content, leading to a backlash from governments worldwide.

“We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis, underwear and other revealing attire,” xAI said in a January statement.

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Follow Marc Levy at http://twitter.com/timelywriter.

The leave is expected to last more than 14 days but fewer than 60 days, JEA said.

JEA announced that Jody Brooks has been named interim CEO.

JEA Board Chair M.G. Orender designated Brooks to serve in the interim role during Cavey’s absence.

“I am grateful for the Board’s confidence and honored to serve JEA in this role,” Brooks said. “Our focus remains unchanged: supporting our employees, serving our customers and continuing to provide the safe and reliable utility services our community depends on every day.”

Brooks will work closely with JEA’s executive leadership team to ensure operations continue smoothly, JEA said. The utility’s priorities and its dedication to delivering safe, reliable electric, water, and wastewater services will stay the same, the news release said.

Probe into toxic workplace allegations, capacity fees

The leadership transition comes as JEA faces intense scrutiny from a Jacksonville City Council special investigative committee examining allegations of a toxic workplace, claims of racism and millions of dollars in disputed capacity fees.

Cavey was recently questioned for more than two hours during a sometimes-contentious hearing that included heated exchanges among council members. The committee pressed Cavey about how she was appointed, her leadership style and whether she had ever used the phrase “Make JEA Great Again.”

“I don’t recall a meeting saying that,” Cavey said. “I may have, but I don’t recall it at all.”

Cavey also testified that she first learned about workplace culture allegations from a news report.

Criminal investigation limits questioning

The committee’s questioning ran into legal limits when members sought to discuss a contract involving the Ballard lobbying firm. Michael Fackler, general counsel for the City of Jacksonville, warned that the topic was off limits.

“This particular contract is the subject of a criminal investigation by the statewide prosecutor and the state attorney,” Fackler said. “The agency does not know if it is the subject, we do not know who is the subject of this, so this is an extremely sensitive area.”

Council tensions boil over

Tensions rose on the dais during the hearing. Councilman Matt Carlucci and Councilman Rory Diamond clashed, and the committee chair repeatedly called for decorum. Carlucci later apologized for an earlier outburst, criticizing what he described as a politically motivated tone.

“My frustrations got the best of me,” Carlucci said.

He later called the City Council’s work culture “toxic,” saying some members were using the investigation for political purposes.

Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said Cavey’s repeated “I don’t recall” responses — Pittman said Cavey answered that way to more than a dozen questions — left her frustrated.

“And for you to ask some of these questions, I felt like I didn’t want to ask anymore from what I heard today,” Pittman said.

Internal investigations opened, capacity fees disputed

JEA’s assistant general counsel told the committee the utility has opened two internal investigations into employee complaints. The committee also addressed disputed capacity fees — one-time charges billed to new customers based on projected water and electric usage.

JEA says it has identified about $25 million in owed capacity fees dating to 2003. Some accounts may not have been adjusted after businesses expanded beyond their initial projections.

Council President Kevin Carrico formed the special investigative committee to examine the culture complaints and capacity fee concerns. Most recently, the committee heard testimony from Brooks — prior to her interim appointment — and Regina Ross, the utility’s former legal counsel.

Incoming Council President Nick Howland said he will make an announcement about the future of the special investigative committee.

Employee survey results raise concerns

The committee opted to conduct its own employee survey, saying JEA’s internal survey might not provide enough detail to address the toxic workplace allegations. The committee said its survey will more directly assess concerns about workplace culture and allegations involving senior leadership.

JEA released the results of its own survey, with the utility reporting that 59% of employees — 1,362 out of 2,314 — participated. Respondents also submitted 4,124 written comments. JEA says its overall results are benchmarked against comparable electric and water utility companies.

Several results stood out:

• 47% of employees said they feel well-informed about important decisions at JEA — 18% below comparable utilities.
• 49% said they have confidence in JEA’s chiefs — 23% below comparable utilities.
• 46% said directors, vice presidents and chiefs understand what is really happening at JEA — 19% below comparable utilities.

The deaths on Crete brought a fatal new dimension to a wildfire emergency stretching from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean. At the peak of the evacuations, a third of a million people were driven from homes and vacation sites in France and Spain.

In France’s Gironde region, the country’s biggest blaze had not spread during a calm night, authorities said. But as temperatures approached 40 C (104 F) Wednesday afternoon and winds strengthened, the reprieve threatened to be short-lived.

The landscape was so combustible that investigators believe routine brush-clearing work near a high-voltage line may have sparked the inferno, even though the work appeared to comply with regulations.

At the command center in Lège, firefighters bent over maps spread across a car hood, tracking three danger zones: northern Cap-Ferret; the wooded corridor around Marcheprime, Cestas and Saint-Jean-d’Illac; and a military site near Martignas, where a major outbreak forced a large deployment.

Both firefighters and residents mobilize against the blaze

More than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft remained mobilized, backed by crews from across France and European partners.

“We strike quickly and strike hard at any new smoke emissions,” Gironde fire commander Matthieu Jomain said.

Beyond the command center, civilians were trying to hold the line themselves. At Souge, volunteers flooded the edges of dirt tracks while a local digger driver plowed through still-burning soil, trying to keep flames from crossing back when the expected west wind arrived. In Lacanau, residents pumped water from a lake into tanks headed for hot spots and firefighters’ cisterns.

“If one day the fire starts in our neck of the woods, I know very well that all the people here would do the same for us,” said Flavien Dubuch, 33, who drove from Saint-Émilion with his father to help.

Hottest day this week

The advance of major fires in the Landes and Var regions has been halted. That left Gironde as France’s biggest remaining wildfire battle, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.

The Gironde fire forced 220,000 people to flee at the peak of the crisis. Tens of thousands have since been allowed home, but authorities warned that the danger had not passed.

Extreme heat strips moisture from vegetation and drives down humidity, turning grasses, brush and forest litter into faster-burning fuel.

Investigators believe contractors working near a high-voltage line for power-grid operator Enedis ignited the blaze while using a brush-cutting machine, Bordeaux prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul said.

Météo-France said Wednesday would be the hottest and driest day of the week, with elevated wildfire danger across every region of France. Drought now covers mainland France and Corsica, with soils nearing the record dryness reached in August 2022.

Smoke from the Gironde and Landes fires also pushed particulate pollution higher across both departments, regional air-quality monitors said.

More evacuations ordered in France

Gironde authorities ordered 4,000 more people out of tourist sites along the Atlantic coast on Tuesday, widening what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation.

“The situation remains complicated. That’s clear. We’re not out of the woods,” said Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas, who also authorized 60,000 evacuees to return to three Bordeaux suburbs untouched by fire.

The opposing movements — thousands ordered out of coastal resorts as others returned with mobile phones on and emergency bags packed — captured how precarious the situation remains.

The disruption was spreading beyond the burn zone into Bordeaux’s peak tourism season.

Edouard le Grix de la Salle, who runs Château du Grand Verdus with his brother, said official appeals to avoid the region threatened its wine-tourism trade. “How did they not think about protecting that sector?” he told The Associated Press.

At one point the Gironde blaze created a black thundercloud, electrified and lit from within, that generated lightning, violent winds and new fires beyond the original front. The pyrocumulonimbus was the first recorded in France.

Fire in Greece turns deadly for firefighters

Two firefighters died Wednesday while battling a wildfire in the Rethymno region of Crete, Greece’s fire department said. They were among about 125 firefighters confronting flames fanned by strong winds, with four helicopters and four water-dropping planes deployed.

The circumstances of their deaths were not immediately clear. The department said they died “in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of citizens and the natural environment.”

A third firefighter also died Wednesday outside the fire perimeter, after tackling a separate blaze in Greece’s southern Peloponnese region.

Tens of thousands begin returning home in Spain

At the height of the crisis, roughly 330,000 people were driven from homes and vacation sites across France and Spain.

Tens of thousands of people began returning home in central Spain after firefighters made progress around Madrid and Ávila. Evacuation orders were lifted for about 20,000 people in the Madrid region, while stay-at-home restrictions ended for another 14,000.

But 10,000 people remain under evacuation orders in Castellón, where a fire was still out of control as Spain braced for its fourth heat wave of the summer.

More than 1,160 square kilometers (448 square miles) have burned across France this year, according to the Interior Ministry.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, warming at more than twice the global average, according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate service. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with extreme heat and widespread dryness contributing to the spread and intensification of fires in France and Spain, Copernicus said.

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Adamson reported from Paris. Elena Becatoros in Athens, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Alex Turnbull in Souge, France, and John Leicester and Masha Macpherson in Paris contributed.

The Facebook and Instagram parent company earned $15.85 billion, or $6.18 per share, in the April-June period. That's down 14% from $18.34 billion, or $7.14 per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Revenue grew 28% to $60.8 billion from $47.52 billion.

Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $7.19 per share on revenue of $60.22 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.

“AI is accelerating our core business today, powering our next generation of products, and opening the door to entirely new enterprise opportunities,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a statement. “The results are already showing, and I’m optimistic about the potential ahead.”

Meta said the number of daily active users on its “family of apps” — Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp and Threads — grew 3% from a year earlier to $3.6 billion. Zuckerberg said Instagram reached the 2 billion daily users milestone during the quarter, while Threads has 500 million monthly active users.

The Menlo Park, California-based company had 75,472 employees as of June 30, a decrease of 1% year-over-year. This still includes the roughly 8,000 workers the company said it would lay off. Meta said its third-quarter earnings report will have the updated figure.

“Earnings come just as Meta pushes out an ad campaign and media blitz that aim to clarify Meta’s stance and goals regarding AI. It’s not surprising that Zuckerberg wants to come out with a more cohesive message around the company’s AI ambitions, especially as Meta tries to carve out its own lane,” said Emarketer analyst Minda Smiley. Zuckerberg wrote a glowing op-ed about AI's future in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, arguing that AI may soon deliver "personal superintelligence to everyone.”

But Smiley said the "optimistic, positive tone he’s striking stands in stark contrast to the negative sentiment that’s building toward social media companies over claims that they’ve harmed and addicted kids. This juxtaposition could make it more difficult for Meta to build credibility in an area where it’s already a laggard.”

For the current quarter, Meta is forecasting revenue in the range of $61 billion to $64 billion, the midpoint of which is lower than the $63.14 billion that analysts are expecting.

Meta also raised the lower end of its expense outlook to incorporate the $2.4 billion in legal expenses. It now expects total 2026 expenses to be in the range of $165 billion to $169 billion.

Expenses for the second quarter were $42.03 billion, an increase of 55% year-over-year. Meta said this includes $2.40 billion of charges related to legal proceedings and $1.18 billion of severance expenses in connection with the layoffs announced in May.

The company's free cash flow — money left over after paying operating costs and capital expenditures — dropped 91% to $784 million from $8.55 billion a year earlier.

Meta's shares fell $24.76, or 4.2%, to $560.85 in after-hours trading after the results came out.

X’Kyra Curry had turned 9 years old just three days earlier, and the Green family was wrapping up the last of her birthday celebrations with an afternoon at the pool.

X’Kyra’s mother, Essence Green, says her daughter pushed herself off the side of the pool too hard and moments later became unresponsive in the water.

“I finished pulling her out the pool. I guess I got all my mom’s strength or whatever. Pull her out. She was limp, her eyes were rolled back in her head. She was foaming at the mouth and not breathing,” Green said.

Green had previously been working toward a career as a paramedic and EMT before life took her in another direction.

When her daughter stopped breathing, that training came rushing back, and she immediately began CPR.

And X’Kyra began breathing again.

Green rushed her to HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, where doctors stabilized her before transferring her to Wolfson Children’s Hospital for specialized care.

Doctors later told Green that without CPR, her daughter would not have survived.

“We just lost my mom to heart failure last month. And thank God he saw fit to relieve us of that additional grieving, because our family would have been going through that again if X’Kyra had not made it,” Shenika Green, X’Kyra’s grandmother, said.

The American Heart Association says immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival after cardiac arrest, giving first responders valuable time to provide advanced care.

“It was a really, really scary time when it happened. So being here in the exact spot, it’s a testimony,” Green continued.

Green says she hopes to return to her dream of becoming a paramedic.

“There are a few obstacles that’s obstructing me from doing that, but hopefully I can be able to get it done,” Green said.

When every second counts, knowing CPR could potentially mean the difference between life and death.

For this family, it made all the difference.

If you’re looking to learn CPR or freshen up your skills, the American Red Cross offers CPR training classes online or in person.

For more information, click here.

The ruling deals a blow to Democrats, who filed a lawsuit seeking to give voters a do-over because of a chaotic party primary in the governor’s race.

More than 117,000 absentee ballots had been returned by Wednesday. Democrats were concerned that many of those might have been cast for Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who had been seen as a Democratic frontrunner before she dropped out on July 17 amid a campaign finance scandal. A day later, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who had bowed out on July 8, reentered the race.

Rodriguez’s name remains on the ballot, along with former state economic development director Missy Hughes, who dropped out in June.

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 4-2 on July 9 to distribute guidance to clerks saying absentee voters cannot change their ballot after it has been returned. The rarely used process is known as ballot spoiling.

Democrats objected and supported the lawsuit filed by three voters, arguing that state law allows voters who have submitted absentee ballots to change their mind before those ballots are counted on Election Day.

“Voters across Wisconsin will be disenfranchised” if not allowed to do that, attorney Eduardo Castro argued in court on Tuesday.

But Dane County Circuit Judge David Conway disagreed, ruling on Wednesday that “the unambiguous language of the statute does not allow a voter to spoil an absentee ballot after it is returned.” He said the guidance issued by the elections commission to the roughly 2,000 clerks who run elections at the local level was consistent with the law.

The judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order sought by Democrats. They had wanted the judge to order the state elections commission to rescind its guidance.

“The judge got it right,” said Don Millis, the Republican chair of the elections commission. “The law is clear. Once a voter returns an absentee ballot to the clerk, the voter cannot decide to change his or her vote. The law does not permit do-overs.”

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker said the ruling was wrong, but didn't say if the party would appeal.

The Republican National Committee opposed the effort to allow for revoting.

Ballot spoiling was the subject of a 2022 lawsuit brought by a Republican group. In that case, a Waukesha County judge agreed that the elections commission must rescind its guidance that allowed voters to cast a second ballot. But the state appeals court earlier this year vacated that ruling on technical grounds and did not rule on the merits.

The winner of the Democratic primary will advance to November’s general election, most likely against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has only token opposition in his party’s primary. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is not seeking a third term.

Democrats hope to keep the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to gain full control of state government for the first time since 2010.

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This story corrects the spelling in a second reference to 'Rodriguez.’

What happened after Skubal left made it all the more likely this was indeed goodbye.

Skubal was cheered at every opportunity by a crowd of 34,406 while taking a shutout into the seventh inning against Baltimore, but then the Orioles rallied from a 7-0 deficit to beat Detroit 10-9 in 12 innings. The loss leaves the Tigers 51-58 and well outside playoff position in the final year they have Skubal under contract.

The vibes were great early. Skubal got first standing ovation came when he struck out leadoff hitter Taylor Ward on a 3-2 changeup to record his 1,000th career strikeout.

“For some reason, strikeout marks hit differently for me,” he said. “Reaching 200 strikeouts for the first time was a huge milestone for me, and as I was getting close to 1,000, it just felt really cool.”

He reached the mark in 857 innings, breaking Max Scherzer's franchise-best mark of 944 2/3 innings.

He got another ovation when Tigers manager A.J. Hinch removed him after Leody Tavares' RBI single with two out in the seventh.

“It is always special when our fans get to their feet and give you a pretty good ovation,” he said. “Hopefully, they feel like I've given everything to the team and the city, because I truly have.”

The Tigers led 7-1 when Skubal came out and appeared to be well on their way to a win over a team they could be battling for a wild-card spot in September. Instead, the Orioles turned one seventh-inning run into five, tied the game with two in the eighth, then got three more in extra innings.

“Obviously, this was a tough one,” Skubal said. “We were up 7-0 and end up losing. ... I don't even know what the final score was, but this one hurts.”

The Tigers seem increasingly likely to deal their ace ahead of next Monday’s trade deadline. Skubal is eligible for free agency after the World Series. He has a $32 million salary, a record total in arbitration, after the team offered $19 million, and is expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.

“I'm just trying to live in the moment,” he said. “There are a lot of things going on around me that I can't control.”

Hinch feels the same way.

“I just can't think in hypotheticals — I just can't,” he said when asked about the possibility of Skubal leaving. “I'll have a ton to say when and if and where and whenever, but it's just a waste of my time talking hypotheticals.”

The 29-year-old lefty said earlier this month that it was his preference is to finish the season with the Tigers to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984.

“Going into spring training and the whole offseason, I’ve never been more motivated to try and win a World Series for this city, the team that drafted me and helped develop me,” he said on July 23.

Skubal had experimental surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow and returned to pitch on June 13.

“The way the surgery went is exactly how it was supposed to go,” he said in July. “I don’t know if remarkable is the word I would use.”

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

After Graham was eulogized Tuesday in the nation's capital as an indefatigable dealmaker by the president, vice president and others, mourners in Columbia recalled him as the son of pool hall owners who “was born with a plastic fork in his mouth,” as former Rep. Trey Gowdy put it.

The Republican seemed to know every mayor and small-town police chief and the location of every Chick-fil-A in South Carolina, and made sure GOP candidates had money to run in legislative and local elections across the state.

“Lindsey Graham understood the hopes and dreams and needs of his state and delivered every time,” said Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who ended his remarks by telling Graham he loved him.

Friends recall his humor, work ethic and love of people

Graham died suddenly on July 11 at his home in Washington, likely of an aortic tear, according to preliminary findings. He had just returned from a whirlwind trip to a NATO summit in Turkey, where he celebrated his 71st birthday, and a visit to Ukraine as he negotiated punishing sanctions against Russia. Senators voted late Tuesday to advance the package as a final gesture for their colleague.

Wednesday's funeral was at First Baptist, the giant downtown church where his predecessor Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond was eulogized 23 years ago.

One of Graham's many friends in Congress, Gowdy said the senator rose to power through humor, genuine caring for all people and a relentless work ethic. He joked the governor should change the name of the state capital of Columbia to honor Graham, even though his friend wouldn't want it.

“It wasn't the trapping of office he cared about. It was the work,” Gowdy said.

Graham also remembered for peacemaking and unpopular votes

Gowdy spoke for nearly 30 minutes. He remembered a man who knew who he was, cast unpopular votes because they were the right thing to do, loved kids even though he was never married or a father — one joking bit of advice Graham gave youngsters was to “never do for yourself what someone else will do for you” — and was the least pretentious person in politics.

“He was the worst at carrying a grudge,” Gowdy related, drawing laughter from the crowd. “I had to keep a list of who we were mad at because he could not remember who had done what.”

People who thought Graham was a warmonger were wrong, Gowdy said. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “Lindsey liked war.”

“Blessed be the peacemakers. He was on a trip that turned out to be his last trip trying to broker peace in a war where hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives,” Gowdy said.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the only remaining member of the South Carolina delegation in power when Graham arrived in Washington in 1995, read Psalm 23.

In a memory that reflected Graham's ability to see across party lines, McMaster recalled how Graham, newly elected to the Senate, grasped the hand of longtime Democratic Sen. Fritz Hollings and raised it up to a largely Republican crowd. Applause for Hollings had been “polite,” he said, but “began to swell” as Graham was announced.

“So there we were, if you get this picture, our two U.S. senators, hands held high, waving to the crowd, when the thunderous applause washed off both of them,” McMaster said. “I believe that not many men would have done what Lindsey did.”

Funeral process included a horse-drawn caisson and military jets

On Tuesday, Graham’s flag-draped casket was at the U.S. Capitol, where the Republican spent more than 30 years talking and laughing and badgering his colleagues into action. Trump then joined foreign leaders at a memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral, a testament to Graham’s stature on the global stage, calling him “a giant of the United States Senate, a true American original who left us much too soon.”

Wednesday's ceremonies began at the Statehouse, where Graham started his political career in 1993. A horse-drawn caisson carrying his casket paused in front of a dozen law enforcement officers for a flyover by four military jets, and then proceeded to the church, where his family followed military pallbearers inside. A 130-member choir sang hymns.

Hundreds of movers in South Carolina politics gathered, including both nominees for governor — Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson and Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson — along with longtime Republican politicians like former House Speaker and Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins and former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown.

Graham's burial Wednesday near his home in Pickens County was planned as a private ceremony.

Graham's sister now faces a special primary

Several speakers praised the senator's younger sister Darline Graham, who dabbed her eyes as she sat with her family in a front pew.

“What a powerful, graceful person to show up here under such immense pressure,” Sen. Tim Scott said in his eulogy.

Graham's death, after winning the Republican nomination for a fifth term, has created opportunities for political change. McMaster named Darline Graham to hold his seat until January. She then surprised many by deciding to run for the full six-year term herself.

Darline Graham now has eight competitors in a special primary on Aug. 11 to decide the Republican nominee, including former Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, all three of whom attended Wednesday’s service. Three other candidates who paid the filing fee were kicked off the ballot because they didn’t meet new party requirements. A runoff, if needed, is Aug. 25.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

The Redmond, Washington, company earned $90 billion, or $4.81 per share, in the April-June quarter. That is up 18% from the same period a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research had expected the company to earn $4.24 per share on revenue of $87.62 billion this quarter.

Microsoft Cloud revenue was $59.3 billion this quarter, up 27% year-over-year. That growth reflects the demand across Microsoft's cloud computing platform Azure, as well as its first-party AI applications and services. Azure and other cloud services revenue increased 43%.

For the full fiscal year, which closed out at the end of June, the company brought in $331.8 billion in revenue.

“This year, Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time, and Microsoft 365 Copilot reached over 30 million paid seats, reflecting the confidence customers are placing in us to power their AI transformation,” CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement Wednesday.

Investors had been looking for evidence that Azure and Copilot, Microsoft's flagship AI assistant, could eventually produce returns as concerns about high AI spending had steadily grown across the industry.

“We remain very confident in the long-term return on these investments, given these strong demand signals, the increasing product usage we’ve seen and the efficiencies that we’re driving across the platform,” said Danielle Criste, Microsoft's director of investor relations, in an interview.

Microsoft’s shares rose nearly 3% to $402.07 in after-hours trading after the results came out.

The Fed’s rate-setting committee reached its decision after two days of deliberations, marking the fifth straight meeting at which the benchmark rate was kept at around 3.6%.

Some economists and Wall Street analysts had predicted the Fed would hike its rate by a quarter point. But while the decision to stand pat could be seen as good news for consumers, they might not feel much relief with the average credit card rate still near 20% and mortgage rates the highest since last August.

Inflation has been stuck above the central bank’s 2% target for more than five years. The Iran war has generated uncertainty over the economic outlook and has driven energy prices higher, intensifying inflationary pressure and creating a quandary for Fed policymakers. In addition, the vast amounts of money being spent by technology companies on artificial intelligence are both driving manufacturing and have resulted in increased prices for items such as computer chips and electricity. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods are also adding to inflation pressures.

The three regional Fed bank presidents who dissented — Beth Hammack of the Cleveland Fed; Neel Kashkari from Minneapolis; and Lorie Logan from Dallas — had previously called for or signaled that they would be open to raising rates to combat high prices.

“The dissents send a clear message: The Fed is not yet convinced the inflation battle has been won,’’ said Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management.

At a press conference following the rate decision, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reiterated the Fed's commitment to combating inflation. At the same time, Warsh said, “We have no magic wand. This isn’t something we’re going to be able to carry out in days or weeks.”

Warsh said he welcomed vigorous debate at the committee meeting. “I asked for a good family fight and I got one,'' he told reporters at a press conference.

Warsh has sought to make the central bank more tight-lipped about what it's doing. When Fed officials make their views public, he reasons, they are less likely to adjust to new information. Even without much guidance from the Fed, he said approvingly that financial markets had made their own judgments about interest rates, pushing up yields in the past few weeks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, for instance, has risen from around 4.50% in mid-June to 4.64% just ahead of the Fed's rate decision.

The market is “learning to play the ball and not the referee,” Warsh said.

But some economists were frustrated by the Fed chair's ambiguous answers to questions. Thomas Ryan and Stephen Brown of Capital Economics, for instance, complained in a commentary that Warsh's “vague'' responses ”make forecasting the Fed’s next move even trickier than it already was.''

Coming into Wednesday, traders on Wall Street saw a 33% chance the Fed would issue a rate hike, although most expected policymakers to hold off, reluctant to risk disrupting financial markets. But most expect a rate hike in September, according to data from CME Group.

Trump, who had persistently pressured the Fed to cut rates, voiced support for Warsh. “He’s fantastic. He’s a brilliant guy. Smart. I know he’d love to see lower interest rates, but he’s got a board and it’s a political board and they want to keep rates up,” Trump told reporters.

Fed officials likely want to see more economic data before changing the benchmark rate. On Thursday, the Commerce Department delivers the first look at April-June economic growth and it will also publish the Fed’s preferred inflation measure – the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index – for June.

Adding uncertainty to the Fed’s decision-making process is the rising violence in Iran. The price of oil briefly blasted past $100 a barrel last week on intensifying fighting.

After the U.S. and Israel attacks on Feb. 28, Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz – through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas pass. That caused the greatest disruption in oil supplies in history and sent energy prices surging. They’ve since bobbed up and down depending on the ever-changing state of the conflict and negotiations to de-escalate it, but the average cost for a barrel is $10 to $15 more today than it was at this point last year.

Inflation has exceeded the Fed’s 2% target since early 2021 when the U.S. economy overheated as it roared back from COVID-19 lockdowns. Inflation peaked at just over 9% in mid-2022 and began to drop in the face of 11 rate hikes by the Fed in 2022 and 2023. But progress has more or less stalled.

So-called core inflation – which excludes volatile food and energy prices – cooled in June, partly because apartment rents aren’t rising as fast as they had been. And a temporary drop in gasoline prices last month also helped contain overall inflation.

But several Fed policymakers have been arguing that the Fed will have to raise rates to return inflation to the 2% target.

“Sternly staring at inflation until it melts before our withering gaze is not an option,’’ Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s governing board, said in a speech this month. Still, Waller voted to leave rates alone this week.

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AP Writers Josh Boak and Damian Troise contributed to this story.

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Earlier versions of this story erroneously reported the name of an economist at BNP Paribas as Joseph Egelhof. His first name is James.

Despite several days of relative calm, both sides carried out military strikes in the last 24 hours that once again risk a return to all-out war — and further expansion in the region — while little is clear about what strategy, if any, American or Iranian officials have for a path forward.

While President Donald Trump and his allies have spent recent days arguing that Iran is begging to return to the negotiating table, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Tuesday that his country has made no requests to restart the diplomatic track in more than two weeks.

Following an attack on the U.S. base in Jordan, Trump turned back to threats Wednesday even while raising the prospect of continued talks.

“They’ve already apologized, but, you know, we got to smack them a little bit,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. He added, “It’s our turn, and we’ll see if we get there with an agreement at some point. But we’re going to hit them very hard.”

It reflects a deja-vu as the Republican president has vacillated for the past several months between insisting a deal was near to end the war and Tehran's nuclear program and using vulgarities and threats to get Iran to capitulate to U.S. demands — to no avail.

The stakes for continued U.S. military action have never been higher for Trump and his party as the conflict, unpopular among many Americans, has jolted the world economy just months before critical midterm elections in November. The renewed fighting also has killed and injured more American troops and been complicated by concerns that the U.S. is further drawing down stockpiles of key air defense systems needed to defend its bases and allies.

As Saudis enter the conflict, Israel takes a step back

In the past day, Iran said it fired ballistic missiles at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a key U.S. military hub for the region, which Trump said were intercepted. And Saudi Arabia joined the U.S. in striking multiple logistics and weapons sites used by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

The first publicly announced joint U.S.-Saudi strikes followed drone attacks on the kingdom, complicating a conflict that now includes nearly every country in the region. A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military operations, said the two attacks were not connected.

Drone strikes also ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at a port in Egypt, a close U.S. ally and regional mediator that is one of the only countries in the Middle East to have been spared from direct military action during the war. A strike by Iran or its allies, if confirmed, would mark a significant widening of the conflict.

The U.S.-Saudi strikes came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed his first meeting with Trump since they launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28.

An Israeli official briefed on the meeting Tuesday at the White House said Netanyahu assured Trump that it is the U.S., not Israel, that is in the driver's seat with Iran, attempting to push back on the notion that he’s increasingly out of step with his closest ally on the way ahead.

Yet, Israeli officials also have privately expressed concern that Trump, with midterm elections looming, is trying to “keep this war on a low flame,” according to a person familiar with Netanyahu's government’s internal deliberations. The person and the Israeli official were not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The person added that Israeli officials have become increasingly concerned about Trump’s sensitivity to surging oil prices as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to global energy shipments and about the growing trepidation among some in the U.S. administration about the burn rate of critical missile interceptors.

The recent fighting with Iran used up more of the U.S. military’s already diminished stockpiles of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, potentially putting American troops at more risk if hostilities resume, according to an analysis released this week from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has told Trump that the state of the munitions stockpile could have an impact on military operations in Iran, according to another U.S. official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations, said the message was delivered as part of Caine’s regular duties of providing military advice and options to Trump.

A history of failed diplomacy plagues US-Iran prospects

The Trump administration does not seem to have a strategy to resume negotiations with Iran over ending the conflict.

Despite efforts by some mediators to get talks restarted — or at least find a point at which they could begin again — the administration is not actively pursuing talks at the moment, a senior U.S. official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the latest developments in the region suggested that any resumption in direct diplomacy was not imminent.

Analysts called the uncertainty and lack of strategy a result of deep, growing mistrust between Washington and Tehran, especially after an interim ceasefire proposal signed in mid-June collapsed in recent weeks.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said senior Iranian officials were nearly unanimous in their decision to approve that memorandum of understanding with the U.S.

“But now none of them believe that Trump is a reliable negotiating partner,” he said. "The problem, I think, is that Trump also has now the same impression about the Iranians."

In some respects, the on-again, off-again nature of talks and back-and-forth military attacks should not be surprising.

The history of U.S. negotiations with Iran after 1979 is littered with failure, false starts and stops, and military actions that have nonetheless stopped short of the kind of conflict the two countries are now in.

Despite its flaws, the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran secured by the Obama administration was the first major agreement between the two countries since the Algiers Accords in 1981 that ended the American hostage crisis and laid a patchwork path for the resolution of other issues, including the unfreezing of Shah-era Iranian assets seized by the U.S. after the Islamic Revolution.

However, even from the beginning, both sides accused each other of violating the terms of these deals.

Accusations of violations of the Algiers Accords, which led to a period of great animosity, including U.S. support for Saddam Hussein’s Iraq during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, became the norm.

Despite the semi-rapprochement around the 2015 nuclear deal, Trump’s withdrawal from it in 2018 during his first term, his imposition of a “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign against Tehran, and the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top military leader Qassem Soleimani in early 2020, sent the relationship to new lows.

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Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

The World Food Program's acting executive director, Carl Skau, told The Associated Press during a visit to the hard-hit Ituri province that the outbreak is a “crisis on top of a crisis” that has compounded a catastrophic situation with over 5 million Congolese already experiencing emergency-level food insecurity.

The long-running conflict in eastern Congo has driven nearly 10 million people into crisis or emergency levels of hunger, with Ituri — the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak — among the most affected with 1.9 million in need of food, according to the WFP.

“My number one message is that this situation requires much, much more attention,” Skau later told a video news conference with U.N. correspondents. “This is the fastest growing Ebola crisis ever.”

Ebola's impact is spiraling

Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, it took just over two months for 1,000 people to die of Ebola in eastern Congo, compared to the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa that had been considered the worst in history and when it took about eight months to reach that number.

The dramatic surge shows the urgent need to scale up food, protective equipment, trained staff and funding, Skau said, stressing that the lack of money has forced WFP to cut the number of people it is assisting in Congo from 3 million last year to 1 million this year.

U.N. senior Ebola coordinator Julien Harneis, who was with Skau on the visit to Ituri, said the $2.1 billion humanitarian appeal for Congo is only 45% funded.

The separate Ebola response appeal is being revised upward because it only covered two provinces and now there are four, he said.

The outbreak has been particularly difficult to fight because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments, unlike most of Congo’s past outbreaks. Harneis said a vaccine trial is underway, but getting a vaccine to Congo is months away.

The United Nations is working with the government and community workers to build trust so that people with symptoms will seek treatment quickly, Harneis said. If they do, he added, “they have a very good chance of surviving Ebola.”

Ebola drives up malnutrition in affected communities

Across some 48 health zones affected with Ebola, WFP said more than 2.7 million people face acute food insecurity, including 628,000 in emergency conditions.

“Now with the Ebola crisis, this is getting worse. Markets are impacted, supply routes are impacted and so people are struggling even more to have enough to eat,” Skau told the AP, and malnutrition is rising.

Since it erupted, the ongoing Ebola outbreak has recorded 3,360 confirmed cases, including 1,487 deaths. Harneis said that in the last 24 hours, 50 people died of Ebola.

Measures introduced to slow the spread — including border closures and restriction of movements and large gatherings — have disrupted life and businesses, driving up food and fuel prices, the WFP has said. The agency said it has so far delivered more than 160,000 hot meals to patients, contacts and front line workers in 17 treatment and isolation centers.

In Mongbwalu, a mining town about 69 kilometers (43 miles) from Bunia, Ituri's provincial capital, residents said Ebola and the measures introduced to fight it have made it difficult for some families to feed their children.

Kahambu Deborah, a 40-year-old mother of six, said she had been struggling to access her farmland due to rebel violence, and that the restrictions linked to Ebola had made things more challenging.

“Sometimes, because of the insecurity, we can’t even go to our fields, and our children are suffering as a result,” she said.

Health workers seek to limit the movement of people

Dr. Richard Lokudu, director-general of the Mongbwalu General Hospital, said health workers are seeing more malnutrition cases in the region, compared to before the outbreak, “even at the Ebola treatment center.”

In Mongbwalu, the U.N. agency’s food support program has helped to “limit the movement of people seeking the means to survive,” said Tourne Kasereka, a monitoring assistant with the WFP.

A critical aspect of that response is getting food to those in need of it, according to Skau.

“The World Food Program needs resources (and) donors to step up so that we can do more, to alleviate the pressures on the people here in Ituri,” he said.

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Lederer reported from the United Nations. Associated Press writer Wilson McMakin in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.

It's the second time Trump has asked the justices to nix damages awarded by a jury to Carroll, a longtime advice columnist and former TV talk show host. The Supreme Court refused in June to hear his appeal of another verdict, for $5 million, that found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

The latest case centers on comments Trump made during his first term as president. The Justice Department wants to invoke the Westfall Act, which shields government employees from being sued for doing their jobs.

“Absent this Court’s intervention, the sitting President is facing nearly a hundred million dollars of personal liability for conduct that was well within the scope of his federal office,” federal attorneys wrote. “That alone deserves this Court’s attention.”

The documents were reviewed Wednesday by The Associated Press and expected to be formally docketed with the court shortly.

Trump's lawyers, meanwhile, argued that an appeals court “engaged in procedural contortions” to avoid addressing Trump's claims that presidential immunity protects him from the $83 million award because he made the statements in question in 2019 while he was president.

The lawyers argued that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled in a manner that “cries out for this Court's review in this unprecedented case" and called the damages “grossly excessive.”

“This is the first case in our nation's history in which a court has imposed damages liability on a president for his conduct in office,” the lawyers wrote.

Carroll's lawyers have declined to comment on the latest Trump filing.

Trump has long argued he cannot be sued over comments he made about Carroll during his first term where he disavowed knowing her and attacked her motivations for going public with her story in a recent memoir. He's also asking the Supreme Court justices to reconsider their rejection of his appeal in the $5 million verdict.

The appeal comes about two years after the Supreme Court granted Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.

Carroll testified twice before New York juries that Trump sexually assaulted her in spring 1996 in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury retailer across the street from Trump Tower. She first went public with the claims in a 2019 memoir.

She sued Trump for defamation after he accused her of making up the allegation to help book sales, adding that he’d never met her and “she’s not my type.” He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

A Manhattan jury awarded her $83 million in damages in January 2024. Lower courts have so far rejected Trump’s appeals to overturn the verdict, though the New York-based appeals court split over the decision and agreed to delay that payout until the Supreme Court weighs in.

In 2023, another jury said Carroll was entitled to $5 million after concluding that Trump had subjected her to sexual abuse in the department store encounter and for defamation for remarks he had made after his first term ended. That judgment has been paid.

The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.

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Neumeister reported from New York.

The ruling resolves a long-running legal dispute known as the “Minor Issue,” which has affected thousands of ancestry-based citizenship cases involving families who left Italy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, experts say.

The ruling — dated Sunday but published Wednesday — was made by the Court of Cassation's highest-level panel for resolving conflicting legal interpretations.

At the center of the dispute was whether children automatically lost Italian citizenship when an Italian parent later acquired a foreign nationality while the children were still minors.

Under a restrictive interpretation adopted in a series of court decisions beginning in 2023, many applications by later generations were rejected because authorities considered the line of citizenship transmission to have been interrupted.

What the court decided

In its new ruling, the court said that under Italy’s historical citizenship laws, children who were already Italian citizens by birth under the principle of “iure sanguinis,” or citizenship by bloodline, did not automatically lose their Italian citizenship when a parent became a citizen of another country.

The court clarified that children born in countries that automatically grant citizenship at birth — including the United States — retained their Italian citizenship even if their parents later naturalized there. Because they remained Italian citizens, they could pass that citizenship on to subsequent generations.

The ruling represents a reversal of recent practice

Lawyer Marco Mellone, who represented applicants in the case, explained that the ruling reversed a restrictive interpretation that had blocked citizenship claims in recent years, many by U.S. citizens.

“The Supreme Court of Cassation has completely changed its position and gone back, confirming that all these Italian-American families — and, more generally, families in all countries where this situation existed — regain the right to Italian citizenship by descent,” Mellone told The Associated Press.

What the decision means for people of Italian ancestry

The decision could have broad implications for descendants of Italian emigrants, particularly in North and South America, where large Italian diaspora communities have ancestral ties to Italy. Mellone estimated that several hundred thousand families may have been affected by the restrictive interpretation adopted in recent years.

Legal experts say the judgment is likely to strengthen the position of applicants whose claims were rejected solely because of the Minor Issue and provide authoritative guidance to judges handling pending cases. The ruling could also influence how Italian administrative authorities and consulates assess future citizenship applications.

Whether the Interior Ministry and Italian consulates formally adjust their practices to reflect the court’s interpretation remains unclear. However, decisions issued by the panel — known as the “Sezioni Unite” or United Sections — carry particular weight because they are intended to resolve conflicting interpretations of the law.

Mellone noted that “there's no one above” the panel, which has only very rarely reversed decisions.

The ruling comes as Italy faces growing demand for citizenship by descent and legal disputes over the scope of ancestry-based citizenship rights.

Separately, a law championed by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that restricts citizenship transmission through more distant generations has been referred to the European Union’s Court of Justice, with proceedings expected next year.

The S&P 500 fell 1.5% after swinging sharply between gains and losses in the last hour of trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,153 points, or 2.2%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 1.7% to fall 9.8% below its record set last month.

The action was more decisive in the oil market, where the price of Brent crude leaped 7.3% to settle at $88.09 per barrel after fighting resumed in the war with Iran and raised worries about the global flow of oil.

Brent oil’s price had swung as low as $72 early this month and as high as $102 last week on uncertainty about whether the United States and Iran could reach a deal to allow oil tankers to move freely again from the Middle East to customers worldwide.

The swings have raised worries that inflation will reaccelerate, and traders came into the day betting on a roughly 34% probability that the Fed would raise its main interest rate in the afternoon, according to data from CME Group.

Higher rates can keep a lid on inflation, but they can also slow the economy and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

Fed officials instead voted to keep the federal funds rate steady, though three members of the policymaking committee did want to raise rates. The Fed’s chairman, Kevin Warsh, implied the bond market may already be doing some of the work to restrain inflation, and he pointed to how yields have climbed since the central bank’s last meeting six weeks ago.

He reiterated his commitment to get inflation back to 2% following years of faster-than-hoped increases in prices, but he also stuck to his plan of giving financial markets fewer clues about what the Fed may do with interest rates in the near future.

With less guidance from the Fed, financial markets may be set for more volatile trading amid the uncertainty.

“Did the Fed take an explicit change in its policy rate today?” Warsh asked rhetorically in a press conference following the Fed’s decision. “No, but I think that’s the beginning of the story.”

Treasury yields swiveled up and down following the Fed’s decision and Warsh’s insistence on not guiding the market.

The yield on the two-year Treasury, which closely tracks expectations for Fed action, fell to 4.24% from 4.26% late Tuesday.

But the 10-year Treasury yield, which moves more with expectations for inflation and economic growth in upcoming years, went in the opposite direction. It jumped to 4.68% from 4.61% late Tuesday.

That’s up from 3.97% before the war with Iran sent oil prices much higher, and the increase has already sent long-term U.S. mortgage rates to their highest level in nearly a year.

Higher rates particularly hurt stocks seen as the most expensive, and scrutiny has already been rising on makers of computer chips and other winners of the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology.

The recent surges for sellers of computer processors and memory are backed by real revenue and profits, but the exceptional growth won’t be sustainable if AI does not produce as much profit and productivity as hoped.

The skepticism has hit South Korea’s stock market in particular because it’s dominated by two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Seoul’s Kospi index tumbled 6% Wednesday, a day after it plunged 10.8%, and trimmed its gain for the year so far to 34.4%.

SK Hynix’s stock in Seoul dropped 9.6%. It reported record amounts of revenue and profit for a quarter thanks to strong demand because of AI. But its 257% growth in revenue still wasn’t enough to meet analysts’ expectations.

On Wall Street, Nvidia was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after the chip company fell 3.6%.

KLA Corp., whose products and services help make semiconductors, lost 10.8% even though it reported stronger-than-forecast profit and revenue for the latest quarter. Expectations were high after its stock surged nearly 150% in this year’s first six months.

On Tuesday, gains for stocks outside of AI helped offset weakness for tech companies. Analysts have been saying such a rotation in the market from AI to less-loved areas could be healthy, but the majority of U.S. stocks fell with tech on Wednesday.

Hims & Hers Health tumbled 14.7%, for example, after the Federal Trade Commission, Utah and California alleged it shared consumers’ sensitive health information about medical conditions with third-party advertising platforms despite claiming its services maintain consumers’ privacy. Hims & Hers said their lawsuit is contorting “the law to try to manufacture claims,” which it called baseless.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 112.63 points to 7,316.15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,153.18 to 51,594.14, and the Nasdaq composite sank 433.97 to 24,442.94.

In stock markets elsewhere around the world, indexes were mixed. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 2%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.5% for two of the bigger moves.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

Cy Williams was booked into the Duval County jail July 24.

Investigators say all of the counterfeit check deposits happened in the Jacksonville area.

How the alleged scheme worked

According to the arrest report, Cy Williams and an associate are accused of orchestrating a counterfeit check fraud operation between April 28 and Sept. 16, 2025.

The investigation uncovered text message exchanges on Williams’ phone between himself, referred to as “Boogy,” and that associate, referred to as “Chico Black.”

Investigators say the pair recruited approximately 20 people to deposit 20 different counterfeit checks into their personal accounts — before facilitating immediate cash withdrawals.

The counterfeit checks totaled $68,410 and were made to appear as if they were issued by legitimate businesses.

Approximately $26,238.98 of the $68,410 was successfully stolen — whether through cash withdrawals, electronic wire transfers, or miscellaneous purchases, according to Williams’ arrest report.

VyStar Credit Union suffered a financial loss of approximately $13,549 due to the counterfeit check deposits. Community First Credit Union suffered a financial loss of $4,186, according to Williams’ arrest report.

ATM surveillance footage captured Williams standing alongside individuals as they conducted deposits, according to police. In one instance on April 28, 2025, a VyStar ATM showed Williams standing next to an account holder as she completed a counterfeit check deposit of $2,500.

Witness account

One woman told investigators she was approached in a VyStar parking lot by someone claiming to need help depositing a check because he had reached his daily limit.

“He mentioned he was trying to deposit these checks on one of his businesses because he reached his limit for the day and asked her if she minded depositing this check,” the report states. “[The woman] stated she didn’t feel like he was a scam until after the fact.”

She said she was told she would receive $50 once the check cleared.

Cell phone and GPS data

According to the arrest report, location data extracted from Williams’ phone placed him at or near the scene of deposits on multiple occasions. Investigators say they also found images of original checks on his phone that were used as templates for counterfeiting.

Text message exchanges on Williams’ phone between himself, referred to as “Boogy,” and his associate, referred to as “Chico Black” allegedly show the pair sharing stolen identity documents — including Florida driver’s licenses and U.S. passports — coordinating fraudulent deposits, discussing check-printing ink and equipment, and transferring funds via Zelle and wire transfers at Publix locations.

Investigators also obtained subpoena results from VyStar Credit Union identifying account holders whose accounts were associated with Williams and his associate.

The traffic stop that launched the case

The investigation began Sept. 23, 2025, when Williams and his associate were pulled over on Interstate 75 in Ocala. According to the arrest report, officers found counterfeit checks and deposit receipts inside the vehicle, prompting the financial crimes investigation that led to the arrest warrant.

Arrest, charges

Williams faces charges including organized fraud, two counts of defrauding financial institutions, grand theft, two counts of criminal use of personal identification information, money laundering, six counts of uttering forged instruments, and 10 additional counts of uttering false instruments.

A warrant for Williams’ arrest had been issued April 17.

Response from Community First Credit Union, VyStar

News4JAX reached out to VyStar and Community First Credit Union for comment following Williams’ arrest.

Community First Credit Union declined to comment on the case.

VyStar released a statement saying:

“As this is an ongoing law enforcement investigation, we cannot comment on the specific details of the case. VyStar takes fraud and financial crimes seriously and maintains processes to help prevent, detect, and investigate suspicious activity. We routinely work with law enforcement and other appropriate authorities when criminal activity is suspected and will continue to support their efforts as appropriate.”

Stefanski described the injury as a “flare-up” and said he doesn’t anticipate a long absence from the former Dolphins quarterback. He said Tagovailoa will be present at training camp but not yet participating.

The first-year Falcons coach kept the details of Tagovailoa’s injury secret, saying one of the perks of training camp is not having to divulge every detail.

ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Wednesday that Tagovailoa is dealing with a tight back.

The Falcons swapped one veteran quarterback for another as a result, releasing veteran Trevor Siemian and adding Cooper Rush. Heading into his ninth year in the league, Rush has appeared in 42 career games and has thrown for 3,766 yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Rush was out throwing alongside Michael Penix Jr. and undrafted rookie Jack Strand at the Falcons' first day of training camp on Wednesday morning.

Rush and Strand are expected to split snaps during 11-on-11s. Penix, who started nine games for Atlanta in 2026 before a season-ending ACL tear, will compete in individual and 7-on-7 drills.

Stefanski is encouraged by Penix's recovery, though he doesn't have a precise timetable for the quarterback's return to 11-on-11 drills.

“I don't know the exact date on when that would happen," Stefanski said. "All along, as you guys can imagine, we have put total trust into Mike, the medical team and the doctor who performed his surgery. So I'm very, very comfortable with where we are and the plan that we have.”

Penix had a slightly more definitive timeline, revealing that four weeks was the most recent benchmark he was given. While recovering from his third ACL tear, the third-year quarterback said he's eager to get back, but he's not taking the process lightly.

“Just trusting the process,” Penix said. “It's more seeing how my body is feeling with these practices. I was told like another four weeks, possibly, going into that next stage. At the same time, it could be earlier."

The Falcons had another nonparticipant in All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson, who was present but did not take part in drills. Robinson appeared healthy and is widely speculated to be holding in for a contract extension after the Falcons exercised his fifth-year option.

The team did not comment on Robinson’s lack of participation.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Alyson R. McCullough

Occupation: Public School Educator (15 years), Nassau County Commissioner (4 years), Regional Development Manager, and Economic Development Consultant. Alyson has dedicated her career to public service, education, workforce development, regional collaboration, and economic development. Her experience spans the classroom, local government, and regional partnerships, where she works to connect education, business, and community priorities to create opportunities while supporting responsible growth and long-term sustainability.

Age: 38

Family: Alyson and her husband, Josh, are raising their four children in Nassau County on the same values they were raised with: hard work, service, faith, and community. As a family, they enjoy life on their farm, supporting local schools and youth activities, and staying actively involved in the community they proudly call home. Their greatest priority is ensuring Nassau County remains a place where future generations can live, work, and thrive.

Education: Proud graduate of West Nassau High School (Class of 2006), where the schools and community that helped shape Alyson’s values inspired a lifelong commitment to service. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from University of North Florida and later completed the Florida Agricultural Policy Leadership Program through University of Florida.

Political experience: Elected to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners in 2022, Alyson currently serves as County Commissioner for District 4 and Chair of the Board in 2026. Over the past four years, she has helped shape policies related to fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, public safety, conservation, workforce development, economic development, and responsible growth. She also represents Nassau County on regional boards and partnerships that strengthen collaboration across Northeast Florida.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Managing Growth Responsibly

Nassau County is one of the fastest-growing areas in Florida. We cannot stop growth, but we can ensure it is well-planned, legally defensible, and does not burden existing residents. I will continue advocating for policies where growth pays for growth through impact fees, infrastructure planning, and responsible land development code decisions that protect our rural character and natural resources.

2. Investing in Infrastructure Before We Need It

Roads, drainage, and public safety infrastructure cannot be built overnight. I will continue prioritizing long-term planning, strategic investments, and capital projects that keep pace with our growing community while maintaining the quality of life residents expect.

3. Protecting Taxpayers Through Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency

Families are carefully managing their budgets, and county government should do the same. I will continue focusing on balanced budgets, lowering the tax burden when possible, reducing unnecessary debt, and helping residents better understand how county government operates so they can see exactly how their tax dollars are being invested.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I bring a unique combination of experiences as a lifelong Nassau County resident, 15-year educator, mother, farmer, small business owner, regional economic development professional, and four-year County Commissioner. These roles have given me firsthand experience understanding the challenges families, businesses, students, and local governments face every day.

I have spent the last four years learning the complexities of county government, building partnerships, and turning ideas into action through policy, budgets, and long-term planning. My background allows me to connect education, workforce development, economic opportunity, conservation, and responsible growth into practical solutions that benefit our community.

Most importantly, I am raising my family here too. My decisions are not about the next election cycle—they are about ensuring Nassau County remains a place where future generations can live, work, and thrive.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered for leading with integrity, making decisions based on facts, and leaving Nassau County stronger than I found it. I want people to remember that we protected taxpayers while investing in the infrastructure, public safety, conservation, and workforce needed for future generations to succeed.

More than any one project, I hope to be remembered for helping build a culture of long-term planning, transparency, and responsible growth—proving that we can preserve the character of Nassau County while still creating opportunities for families and businesses.

As a mother raising my family here, I hope my legacy is simple: that I helped ensure Nassau County remained a place where people could afford to live, safely raise their children, build careers, and continue the traditions and quality of life that make this community so special.

Campaign website: votealyson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Cheryl Plaugher

Occupation: (No response)

Age: 46

Family: Husband and dog mom to K9 Huk.

Education: University of Florida, BS - Agribusiness, Food & Resource Economics

Political experience: None

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

First, I will make a motion to conduct a complete, independent analysis of the county budget to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and that residents are not being overtaxed. Nassau County’s cash reserves have doubled since 2022 to $300-million today. To my knowledge, the Board of County Commissioners has never provided taxpayers with a comprehensive independent budget analysis, showing exactly how and where their money is being spent. Greater transparency and accountability are essential before asking taxpayers to continue funding government growth. This analysis will also show whether we are truly making growth pay for growth and help identify weak areas where our policies can be strengthened to ensure developers pay their fair share, rather than shifting the infrastructure costs of their projects onto Nassau County taxpayers.

Second, I will work to either ban large-scale data center development in Nassau County or establish strict environmental, conservation, and infrastructure standards that set the bar so high developers cannot move forward unless they can demonstrate there will be no unacceptable impacts to our community, natural resources, or quality of life.

Third, I will make public safety a top priority. With the City of Jacksonville entering the Florida Retirement System next October, competition for experienced police officers and firefighters will only increase. I want to ensure Nassau County offers competitive pay, benefits, and incentives so we can retain the dedicated first responders we already have while attracting new ones. We cannot afford to lose our public safety professionals to neighboring agencies that offer better compensation and career opportunities.

It’s easy to say public safety is your top priority. The real question is whether your budget proves it. In Nassau County, our cash reserves and the challenges facing many of our first responders tell two very different stories.”

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I will never forget how my community was treated when we organized to oppose heavy industrial rezoning at the entrance to our neighborhood. Many residents felt dismissed despite having firsthand knowledge of the area and legitimate concerns about public safety and quality of life. That experience reinforced an important lesson: the people who live in a community often know it better than anyone.

If elected, I will use that experience as a constant reminder to listen to my constituents before making decisions that affect their lives. I will also use Florida’s Sunshine Law and every available communication tool to keep residents informed about important issues, proposed developments, and upcoming votes so they have a meaningful opportunity to get involved before decisions are made, not after. My goal is to make local government more transparent, accessible, and accountable to the people it serves.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

If people remember me, I hope to be remembered for servant leadership. I hope people will say I always treated my constituents with respect and that I never made them feel like their opinions didn’t matter. I hope they remember me for being transparent, accessible, and accountable in every decision I made. I also hope to be remembered for keeping taxpayers informed about important issues before decisions were made, giving them a meaningful opportunity to participate in their local government. If, at the end of my service, the people of Nassau County believe they had a commissioner who listened, communicated openly, and always put their interests first, I would consider that my greatest accomplishment.

Campaign website: www.cherylfornassaufl.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who faces an Aug. 31 arraignment on several domestic violence charges following two arrests last month, returned to the field Wednesday when the Broncos began their acclimation period ahead of the start of training camp this weekend.

Also back was Michael Wilhoite, who was recently rehired as a defensive assistant 16 months after being fired as Denver’s outside linebackers coach following an incident at the Denver International Airport where he was accused of punching a police officer.

As for Cooper, who was held out of the Broncos' mandatory minicamp last month following his second arrest in a week's span, coach Sean Payton said: "Well, we're staying the course with the league protocol, club protocol relative to what we're advised to do. He's been fantastic working away from the building and will continue to do that and (we'll) monitor it.

“We're supportive and yet very much aware of the seriousness of these types of things,” Payton added. "But, pretty much what I said in the spring: there's a schedule and a course to this that we have to follow.”

The NFL is investigating Cooper's situation and the sixth-year pro could face a lengthy suspension under the league's domestic violence policy.

Payton insisted Cooper's situation isn't a distraction: “No, not at all.”

Cooper, who has started 52 consecutive games for the Broncos, is a key member of a defense that has led the league in sacks each of the last two seasons. He was told to stay away from the Broncos’ mandatory minicamp in June following his second arrest.

Payton intimated that Cooper received counseling over the summer break, saying, “We're proud of the work he did over the last call it month and a half. It wasn't easy. And it'll continue to be a challenge and we'll see where it goes. But (we're) fully supportive of him right now as we gather all the information and we go from there.”

Cooper, 28, was originally arrested June 4 by police in Parker along with his girlfriend following an argument and physical confrontation after she accused him of infidelity, according to a police affidavit. Later that week, prosecutors dropped charges against her and added charges against Cooper, including a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation, while also granting her a protection order.

The new charges stemmed from a forensic nurse’s examination of Cooper’s girlfriend at a hospital during which the nurse wrote that the woman experienced an injury from being choked that led to a “substantial risk of death” or substantial risk of injury, including the possibility of a traumatic brain injury, according to court records.

Cooper was later arrested a second time on multiple charges that he violated the protection order. Cooper was accused of sending 20 messages and making two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend before going to her apartment and knocking on her door, according to the arrest affidavit. He left when she called 911.

Asked if he'd read what the forensic nurse wrote, Payton said, “Yeah, I've read all of it and, listen, I don't have any comment on the specifics because I think, yeah, when it's finally finished, we'll all have a better feel. So, it's unfair for me to answer any of those questions right now without having the totality of it finalized.”

Payton, meanwhile, recently rehired Wilhoite as a defensive assistant 16 months after he was fired for the airport incident.

Felony charges were later downgraded to misdemeanor charges of obstructing a peace officer and criminal mischief before being dropped altogether last month after Wilhoite was accepted into a diversion program.

That cleared the way for Wilhoite to return to the NFL.

“He's obviously been away for a little bit over a year and a half, I'm a huge fan and he, too, went through a long and lengthy process, was cleared and met with all of us, we felt real good," Payton said. “And I'm excited to have him back.”

Also back is quarterback Bo Nix, who was fully cleared for camp following offseason ankle surgery and a follow-up procedure to remove bone spurs that limited his work during the spring.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky subpoenaed Fauci to appear before a Senate committee. It’s part of Paul’s yearslong accusations that the now-retired infectious disease expert had lied about the pandemic, something Fauci has called “preposterous.” Paul closed the hearing by saying lawmakers will vote next week on whether to hold the now-retired infectious-disease expert in contempt for refusing to testify.

Democrats on the committee generally defended Fauci for refusing to engage, but Republicans hold an 8-7 majority on the panel. President Donald Trump told reporters, “I watched the whole thing today,” when asked about Fauci’s testimony.

Iran, meanwhile, launched a barrage of missiles at American forces in the Middle East early Wednesday as the U.S. partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Tehran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters. The flare-up on multiple fronts shattered a brief pause in fighting that followed nearly two weeks of daily bombing by the U.S. military.

Here's the latest:

Trump shrugs off Fed’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged

Trump showed no regrets over his handpicked Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, neglected to cut benchmark interest rates as the president has called for since returning to the White House.

Fed officials voted 9-3 to keep the federal funds rate steady, with the dissenters calling for a rate hike because inflation has stayed above the Fed’s 2% target.

“Kevin’s got a board. He’s fantastic. He’s a brilliant guy. Smart. I know he’d love to see lower interest rates, but he’s got a board and it’s a political board and they want to keep rates up,” Trump told reporters.

The president said the country is fighting through higher rates, saying he has achieved $19.2 trillion in investments in one year. That figure is bloated and inaccurate as it would constitute the bulk of U.S. gross domestic product and cannot be observed within broader economic data.

Trump says he watched all of Fauci testimony

The U.S. president apparently took keen interest in the former COVID official’s appearance before a Senate committee earlier Wednesday.

“I watched the whole thing today,” Trump told reporters when asked about his testimony.

He used the question to tout his first-term efforts on COVID-19, including Operation Warp Speed, which was the administration’s initiative on developing and distributing a COVID vaccine.

Trump added: “COVID was a disaster, but Fauci did not help.”

Fed holds benchmark rate steady, as some officials express worries about inflation

Federal Reserve officials voted 9-3 to keep their benchmark rates unchanged, but the dissenters favored rate hikes as inflation continues to run above the central bank’s 2% target.

The federal funds rate — which determines the interest charged on overnight loans among banks — will stay in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%.

The bank statement said the economy is “expanding at a solid pace,” but stressed that there is “uncertainty” because of the Iran war and its impact on oil prices.

The three Fed officials who sought to raise the benchmark rates by 0.25% were Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, and Fed Dallas President Lorie Logan. A rate hike would imply that inflation risks are mounting and could drive up the cost of mortgages, auto loans and government borrowing.

Trump has long attacked the Fed for not slashing its rates, but he has refrained from criticizing his pick as Fed chair, Kevin Warsh, for not delivering on his preferred policy.

Most GOP governors get on board with Trump’s election rules

All but three Republican governors in the U.S. signed a letter Wednesday supporting Trump’s push for requiring proof of citizenship for anyone registering to vote.

The governors said in a letter to Trump, who has made the measure a priority, that the SAVE America Act is “critical for restoring Americans’ trust in our electoral process.”

It’s not clear how much sway the Republican governors will have. GOP Majority Leader John Thune has said that Republicans lack the votes to pass the bill or get around a filibuster.

The GOP governors who didn’t sign are the leaders of New Hampshire, Ohio and Vermont.

Voting experts have warned that the requirement could disenfranchise 20 million voters who don’t have birth certificates or other documents available.

Paul-Fauci Senate hearing concludes after 3 hours

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ended a three-hour session with Dr. Anthony Fauci that offered two vastly different versions of his role leading the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For his part, Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment even as the Republican majority protested and demanded answers to their questions.

Chairman Rand Paul led questioning about coronavirus origins, trying to cast doubt on Fauci’s earlier contentions that it didn’t come from a Chinese lab. Other Republicans framed Fauci as a seeker of fame and fortune who has diminished public trust in science and government.

Some GOP members also doubled down on misinformation about COVID vaccines and public health precautions.

Democrats, meanwhile, cast Fauci as a victim of conspiratorial obsessions meant to take down an 85-year-old who spent more than a half-century as a physician and immunologist.

Paul says committee will vote next week on holding Fauci in contempt

The chairman said senators will vote next week on whether to hold Fauci in contempt for declining to answer questions.

Paul argued that Biden’s presidential pardon means Fauci no longer has a Fifth Amendment privilege, though he added that it’s a “legal question that the courts may have to decide.”

The senator did not say whether he would push for a criminal contempt referral to federal prosecutors, a civil contempt charge referral to a federal court or the rarest form of congressional contempt, an internal Senate charge in which the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms can detain a witness.

Several Republicans hammered Fauci for not engaging, while Democrats generally defended him.

One Republican, Oklahoma’s Mark Lankford, told Fauci multiple times that “you have the right” to invoke the Fifth.

Republicans hold an 8-7 majority on the panel.

Iran resumes missile attacks as US and Saudis strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq

Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American forces in the Middle East early Wednesday as the U.S. partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Tehran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters.

Six Iranian advisers were killed in the U.S.-Saudi strike, two Iraqi militia officials told The Associated Press. It was not immediately clear if the advisers were included in the fighters who were killed. The militia officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to comment publicly.

The flare-up on multiple fronts, after several days of relative calm, raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans. The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the U.S. is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.

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— Samy Magdy and Elena Becatoros

Trump and DOJ ask Supreme Court to toss $83 million defamation verdict in E. Jean Carroll case

Trump and the Justice Department are asking the Supreme Court to toss the verdict won by writer E. Jean Carroll after she accused him of sexual assault, saying he can’t be sued for comments he made while he was president.

It’s the second time Trump has asked the justices to nix damages awarded by a jury to Carroll, a longtime advice columnist and former TV talk show host. The Supreme Court refused in June to hear his appeal of another verdict, for $5 million, that found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

The latest case centers on comments Trump made during his first term as president. The Justice Department wants to invoke the Westfall Act, which shields government employees from being sued for doing their jobs.

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Sen. Josh Hawley hammers Fauci for pleading the Fifth

“Well, nothing says honesty like taking the 5th, huh, doc?” the Republican Missouri senator said, launching immediately into a searing critique of Fauci declining to answer questions.

Hawley proceeded with a mocking exchange.

“What day of the week is it today?”

“What color tie are you wearing?”

“What color is the carpet in front of you?”

Each time, Fauci answered, “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.”

Hawley then proceeded to a lengthy list of questions that accused Fauci of misconduct in his government role.

Fauci’s answer was the same.

So was Hawley’s: “Yeah, well, silence is admission.”

In fact, individuals who invoke constitutional protections not to answer questions under oath are not admitting guilt of any crime.

Some disease experts criticize the accusations against Fauci

In a public letter, more than 150 infectious-disease experts and other scientists wrote that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges” and that they are “urging our elected representatives in Congress stop these witch-hunts.”

Conservative influencer Laura Ingraham spread COVID misinformation. She’s in the audience at hearing

The Fox News host used her show and social media platform to repeatedly spread misinformation during the pandemic.

In the pandemic’s early stages, Ingraham downplayed the spread of COVID-19. She went on to mock mask mandates, social distancing guidelines, people who wore masks and those who got vaccinations.

She also endorsed unproven remedies — including hydroxychloroquine — that the FDA had warned against.

Recently on her show, Ingraham has discussed Fauci’s diary entries that Sen. Paul released. She called Fauci a “little man with a big ego” and had Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on her show to blast Fauci’s “mismanagement” of the pandemic.

Paul has a Fauci representative removed from the hearing room

A representative who was among those who accompanied Fauci tried to speak without being recognized, angering Paul and leading to the man’s removal.

“He is not recognized by the committee or the chair. If he speaks again, he will be removed from the room,” Paul said. “This testimony is from Anthony Fauci. This is not a game with his lawyers.”

Paul said Fauci’s representatives and advisers “are all allowed to talk to him. ... But the attorneys are not recognized” to address lawmakers.

When the man persisted, Paul summoned Capitol Police.

“Please remove him from the room,” Paul said.

Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking Democrat, said he wanted to hear what Fauci’s counsel had to say. The Republican chair quipped back that Fauci “will still have the advice of the other half a dozen attorneys that he brought along today.”

Fauci has a presidential pardon. Why plead the Fifth?

Before President Joe Biden left office, he gave Fauci a preemptive “full and unconditional” pardon, dating back to 2014. So, why would Fauci need to invoke the Fifth now?

The decision may center on several Republicans’ comments that Fauci could still be criminally prosecuted for perjury if he lies under oath.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering office, was among the Trump allies suggesting that possibility this week.

Fauci said in his opening statement that he believed Paul wanted him to testify so he could say something that might justify his arrest.

Paul gets to dominate the hearing with Fauci pleading the Fifth

The Kentucky senator is an ophthalmologist who’s conversant, if not fluent, in the language of scientific and medical research.

And with Fauci pleading the Fifth, Paul is free to go through his account of the record, asking detailed questions he knows the witness will not answer.

He’s asked about NIH funding of Chinese research.

Fauci responded: “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment.”

The senator delved into details about virus mutations and the dangers of such research.

Fauci stuck to his script: “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment.”

And throughout their exchange, Paul weaved in his analysis of Fauci’s actions to frame the one-sided conversation his way.

Invoking the Fifth offers protection for witnesses

The Fifth Amendment is a constitutional protection against self-incrimination during questioning by law enforcement authorities and Congress.

By invoking it, witnesses are not acknowledging any criminal liability at all, and many people who profess their absolute innocence choose to exercise their right to remain silent. Witnesses who do so are able to avoid testimony they think could be damning or that they fear could be used against them by zealous interrogators or prosecutors determined to use their own words against them.

In the case of Fauci, for instance, some Republicans have talked openly about their desire to see the doctor prosecuted, and in opting to invoke his rights, Fauci cited his concern that Republican Sen. Rand Paul would try to elicit testimony that “could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote.”

Crux of Fauci hearing is over pandemic origins and NIH-funded research in China

Many scientists believe the virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to people, coming to light when it spread at a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

There’s no new scientific information supporting that the virus might instead have leaked from a laboratory, a theory Paul champions. A GOP-led subcommittee that studied the question in 2024 did not find any evidence linking Fauci to wrongdoing.

Fauci has long said publicly that he was open to both theories but that there’s more evidence supporting COVID-19’s natural origins, the way other deadly viruses, including coronavirus cousins SARS and MERS, jumped into people.

Trump tells Fox News he’ll retaliate hard against Iran for overnight attacks

Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, who’s based in the Middle East, said in an on-air segment that he spoke with Trump on Wednesday and the president told him the United States will hit back hard in response to the attacks in Jordan from Iran.

Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American forces in the region early Wednesday.

Senate committee’s top Democrat says Fauci hearing is a GOP stunt

Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the panel, says Paul’s hearing is a partisan exercise and that the chairman has denied the minority access to some of the evidentiary record he’s cited.

Paul called that “categorically false.”

Peters tried to pivot to the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal work force and the departure of career scientists from the government’s public health programs.

The senator said Trump’s policies have slowed the response to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak and added that “cuts to global health programs and international partnerships have greatly reduced our ability to contain dangerous diseases.”

That’s more important than “relitigating the past,” Peters said.

“We should be asking how to strengthen our bio defense efforts to deter our adversaries and prevent biological attacks against our country,” while assessing “how our government can better coordinate and communicate during public health emergencies,” Peters said.

Fauci isn’t answering questions after invoking the Fifth

In his remarks at the top of the hearing, Fauci accused Sen. Paul of having an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution.”

“The only conclusion that I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote.”

He said he would refrain from answering questions upon advice from his attorneys.

Fauci pleading the Fifth, according to prepared remarks

A draft of the 85-year-old’s opening statement shows he won’t be getting into the details Sen. Paul wants to discuss.

Anyone under oath has the right to cite the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment that ensures no person can be compelled to give self-incriminating testimony.

Fauci’s decision diminishes the potential for fireworks between Fauci and the chairman. But it also could give Paul a relatively uninterrupted platform to frame his arguments on the pandemic, its origins and the federal response.

Sen. Paul opens hearing accusing Fauci of covering up COVID-19 origin

The senator is trying to build the case that Fauci and other officials helped produce the COVID-19 pandemic by approving funding of research on virus mutations and then covered up their complicity.

Fauci’s lawyers and his supporters vehemently deny those accusations.

Paul said Fauci should admit that “funding this research in China” was “a mistake” and that he made false statements during the pandemic — including to Congress — that the virus was not conceived in a laboratory.

“Your primary concern was hiding the fact that you had approved funding for this dangerous research,” Paul said.

The senator called Fauci’s “categorical public denials indefensible” and said he has “destroyed trust.”

COVID-19 Senate hearing starts with Rand Paul and Dr. Anthony Fauci

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has opened its hearing with Fauci.

The physician and immunologist who helped lead the U.S government response to the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to face aggressive questioning from Republican members, especially Chairman Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Paul has for years questioned the origins of the COVID virus and federal health officials’ accounts.

The senator already has released reams of Fauci’s diary entries during the pandemic and said that what scientist “wrote privately and what he told the country are two different stories.”

Investigators in Comey seashells case omitted key facts and distorted others, defense lawyers allege

Federal officials involved in the prosecution of James Comey misled judges, submitted false statements and withheld key facts during the course of the investigation, according to new defense filings that seek the dismissal of a case charging the former FBI director with threatening Trump on social media.

Lawyers for Comey made the allegations of misconduct in motions filed late Tuesday that also call the case a vindictive and selective prosecution, request access to transcripts of grand jury proceedings to expose what they say are “irregularities” in how the indictment was secured, and describe “unlawful” surveillance of Comey by the Secret Service.

Taken together, the new motions, along with an earlier one this week that called Comey’s social media post protected speech and not a threat, represent a multiprong defense effort to dismantle a case defense lawyers say exemplifies a Trump administration retribution campaign targeting one of the president’s most vocal critics.

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Trump’s attacks on mail balloting and concerns over delays turn midterms spotlight on Postal Service

Roughly six weeks before the first midterm ballots are mailed out, the U.S. Postal Service is emerging as a pivotal player in an election season that will determine control of Congress.

Trump is seeking greater control over mail balloting through an executive order while a change to how the agency processes mail is leading to criticism that it’s failing to deliver ballots on time.

Democratic officials have raised concerns over the past week about how quickly the Postal Service will process ballots after tens of thousands of them in California and hundreds in Wisconsin arrived at local election offices too late to be counted in elections earlier this year. The top election offices in Kansas and Michigan are urging voters who want to cast their ballots early to avoid the mail and instead drop them off in person.

The Postal Service replied to those concerns Tuesday by saying it remains “committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process.”

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Anthony Fauci again faces questions from Senate Republicans about pandemic origins

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. scientist who helped lead the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic response, is set to face off — again — with a Republican senator probing the origins of the coronavirus.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky subpoenaed Fauci to appear before a Senate committee Wednesday. It’s part of Paul’s yearslong accusations that the now-retired infectious disease expert had lied about the pandemic, something Fauci has called “preposterous.”

Leading up to the hearing, Paul released more than a thousand pages of Fauci’s personal diary covering the pandemic years. Pointing to some notes about early efforts at understanding how the virus emerged, Paul wrote on the social media platform X that what Fauci “wrote privately and what he told the country are two different stories.”

But they’re likely to further inflame a partisan divide that, years after the pandemic, still makes Fauci a target of vitriol from people who blame him for mask mandates and other policies they believe infringed on their rights as hundreds of thousands of people were dying.

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The legislation gave the district ad valorem taxing authority as well as a broad range of authority for building warehouses, wharfs, bridges and other structures for the commercial development of the port.

Five at-large elected commissioners govern the district, each serving four-year terms, with staggered terms. Three seats on the board are up for election this year. Peter John Jennison was the only candidate to qualify for the Group 3 race and was automatically elected. The Group 1 and Group 5 races will be on the November ballot, for a portion of the county’s precincts.

News4JAX is in the process of gathering responses from these candidates and will post full profiles as the general election approaches.

GROUP 1 CANDIDATES

• Lynda I. Kirker (incumbent)
• Melanie Sunshine Neale

GROUP 5 CANDIDATES

• Clay M. Hansen
• Tom Rivers (incumbent)

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington, D.C., didn't rule from the bench on the inmates' request to return them to general population at women's prisons and block more transfers into the segregated unit. But the judge expressed concern that the transfers violate a preliminary injunction that he issued last month.

“You're violating my order, aren't you?” Lamberth asked Justice Department attorney Jared Littman.

“No, your honor,” Littman said. “Based on the words of your order, there was no violation.”

Lamberth, however, said it appears that the government has violated his previous order “on its face” by segregating the plaintiffs and depriving them of “all of their privileges" from when they were housed in women's facilities.

Ten transgender women are currently segregated in the same unit at a prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Eight of them are plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging an executive order that President Donald Trump signed last year, directing the federal Bureau of Prisons to house inmates based on their biological sex and to halt gender-affirming care.

Lamberth, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, ruled on June 7 that officials must house the lawsuit's plaintiffs in women’s prisons or women’s halfway houses. The judge enjoined prison officials from enforcing part of Trump's executive order.

Plaintiffs' attorney Alexander Shalom argued that housing the plaintiffs in a segregated unit violates their constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment.

“This is a backdoor attempt to implement the executive order,” Shalom told the judge. “The conditions are not in any way comparable to a women's facility.”

Shalom said the transfers have exacerbated plaintiffs' gender dysphoria, which is the distress that a person feels because their assigned gender and gender identity don’t match. The medical condition has been linked to depression and suicidal thoughts.

“Defendants minimize this harm, but they can't deny it's occurring,” he said.

Government attorneys argue that the transfers don't violate the injunction because the judge didn't require the plaintiffs to be housed alongside cisgender female inmates or share common spaces with them. They also claim it's premature for the plaintiffs to challenge the transfers in court before utilizing the prison system's administrative complaint process.

“The plaintiffs don't get to jump right into court and air their grievances,” Littman said.

The incident happened at the Coquina Bay Apartments on San Pablo Road.

A News4JAX crew is headed to the scene to learn more.

This is developing.

The Seat 3 commissioner, Undine George, is seeking re-election and faces a challenger, Jacob David Dascomb. The Seat 3 race will only appear on the November general election ballot. As it is a non-partisan race, candidates run without party affiliation.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Jacob David Dascomb

Occupation: Patent professional (intellectual property law)

Age: 40

Family: Wife of 8 years and three sons -- ages 6, 3, and 1

Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering -- FSU 2008; M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering -- UF 2009; JD (juris doctor) -- American University Washington College of Law 2019;

Political experience: This is my first run for public office

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Stop reckless development; make taxes more affordable; provide choice to residents to elect one of their commissioners;

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

My opponent has voted to raise taxes 12 years in a row and runs a law office that handles property matters in the City’s jurisdiction; I can provide unbiased decision making and finally deliver a tax cut for residents;

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Giving residents a chance to vote for change at City Hall; Residents have only had the opportunity to vote for one commission seat (out of 5 total) for one term in more than 8 years -- Residents need the chance to actually elect the commissioner who represents them

Campaign website: Not yet active

Campaign social media: Not yet active

Undine Celeste George

Occupation: In addition to being your City Commissioner, I’m an Attorney and owner of Anastasia Law, located in St. Augustine Beach since 2010. I have an extensive background in real estate and civil litigation but recently narrowed my practice to focus on estate planning, probate and trust administration. I am a former Pres. of the SJC Bar Assoc. and founding board member for SJC Assoc. for Women Lawyers.

For 24 yrs I’ve made active contributions to our community, volunteering with dozens of non profits and community groups; I believe it is crucial for elected officials to stay in touch with the needs of her, or his, neighbors. Therefore, I currently serve on the Board of Directors for St. Johns County Council on Aging, as well as the Friends of the GTM National Estuary Research Reserve. I’m a member of Rotary (“service before self”) & a 4th generation Elks lodge member.

Age: 48

Family: Family is very precious to me; I am blessed to have a large, extended family. Both of my parents moved here, shortly after I did; they raised me to value community service. I met my husband at St. Aug. Beach City Hall (who was on the Commission at that time & also is a former mayor).

Education: I received a scholarship to study law at Suffolk University Law School and earned a Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, with an Honors Concentration in International Law, with distinction for achieving a 4.0 GPA.

For undergraduate, I first studied at Massachusetts College of Art, with a dual major in Art History and Oil Painting. After completing my Junior year, I transferred into a Philosophy program at Suffolk University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Summa Cum Laude.

My Sacred Heart high school (Stone Ridge; Bethesda, MD) not only provided me with a rigorous academic education but also reinforced my interest in community service, with its five foundational goals: a personal and active faith in God; a deep respect for intellectual values; social awareness impelling to action; the building of community; and personal growth in wise freedom.

As a City Commissioner I successfully attended and completed the Florida League of Cities’ Institute for Elected Municipal Officials program.

Political experience: Appointed to the St. Augustine Beach Planning Zoning Board in 2006 - 2010. First elected as City Commissioner of St. Augustine Beach in 2010. Elected as Mayor of St. Augustine Beach in 2018 and 2019 (2 term limit); elected as Vice Mayor in 2016 and 2017.

Key successes during my service: first female mayor with 16 years of service; preservation and accreditation of the beach police (after Commission efforts to dismantle dept.); secured the 35 foot building height limit in the City Charter; kept taxes low despite Covid & major hurricanes (today’s total millage is less than it was ten years ago); preserved Ocean Hammock Park and Hammock Dunes Park; reductions in cost of flood insurance policies for beach residents by as much as 90% due to city policies and FEMA map updates in 2018; installed and improved many beach walkovers; planted thousands of sea oats to protect against coastal flooding; following storms like Hurricane Matthew (2016) and Irma (2017), improved emergency response coordination, recovery processes, and infrastructure hardening; major investments in drainage infrastructure, especially along A1A Beach Blvd and low-lying neighborhoods, have reduced chronic street flooding and improved resilience to heavy rains and king tides; various streetscape improvements, pedestrian crossings and beautification projects.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Top issues are: (1) Protect low taxes and high-quality services during a critical transition. With our city manager, Max Royle, retiring (after 37 years) and potential homestead revenue loss, I’ll ensure steady, experienced leadership and fiscal discipline for a smooth management handoff. (2) Public safety and neighborhood livability. With more tourism, e-bikes, and projects like SunTrail, I’ll push ongoing ordinance review, support the Police Department, and manage parking and traffic impacts. (3) Preserve St. Augustine Beach’s character (our beaches, tree canopy, family-friendly and pet-friendly quality of life, and thoughtful growth) by stewarding natural spaces, amenities, and small businesses.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I’m seeking re-election because I care deeply for St. Aug. Beach. It’s the most desirable place to live & that didn’t happen by accident. I’m proud that my 16 years of hard work on the Commission helped shape the quality of life we now enjoy! But the City is facing some big changes ahead with the City Manager’s retirement, possible change in our city attorney and possible loss of homestead revenues. These changes could cause serious disruption to our services and quality of life. Many neighbors and colleagues on the Commission asked me to seek another term specifically because my experience & institutional knowledge will help ease us through those changes, with efficiency.

I can help constituents immediately because I’m already prepared to serve. After 16 years in office, I’ve built a foundation of knowledge in city codes, procedures, state laws and budgeting, so I won’t be learning on the job. My opponent seems like a nice guy; I met with him and we’ve talked a couple times. He didn’t share his platform or view of the issues with me, so I don’t know what he stands for, but he articulated only a passing interest, and no essential experience. I admire his courage in stepping forward but it takes a few years to become acquainted with the role of a Commissioner, to learn the limits of the office, and the unintended consequences of budgetary, legislative or policy decisions. I encouraged him to fill a vacancy on a planning or advisory board, to explore his interest and knowledge further, but don’t believe he was interested.

Residents likely remember that in the City’s not-to-distant past: some personalities on the Commission were a detriment; others misused the power of the position, or resigned unexpectedly; the Commission didn’t always have the professional reputation that it has today. A fresh voice on the Commission might be a good idea when the timing is right. But the Commission already has new members and the next two years are critical; now is the time to stay steady at the helm.

The current Commission is the most effective, professional and well reputed Commission that has existed throughout the 24 years I’ve lived here. It makes no sense to disrupt that at this time; I have a proven track record of selfless service for the good of our City. I’ve listened to residents at commission meetings, been persuaded to change opinions when objective reasoning affords it, built relationships with other governments and agencies for the benefit of our City, and approached decisions with critical thinking, an open mind, while using my legal training and creativity for problem-solving. I’m deeply committed to protecting our small-town character, our environment, and taxpayer value. If the people think it best to re-elect me, I will be more than happy to continue that service!

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Someone who always “walked” her “talk”, asked the difficult questions, left her ego at the door before walking into a meeting, did all she could to help her community, nurtured what we love about living in St. Augustine Beach, and did it all with a smile!

Campaign website: www.VoteUndine.com

Campaign social media: None given

The $20 billion FIFA subsidiary was blasted by international soccer organizations. European soccer body UEFA aims to call its 55 member federations to an emergency online meeting, likely on Thursday. The organization said “there is significant and growing opposition to FIFA’s scheme.”

The effort is being bankrolled by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.

The effort marks Infantino's latest effort to align with those in the orbit of Trump: by creating the FIFA peace prize, letting Trump intervene in a process that led to United States forward Folarin Balogun playing at the World Cup, and now trying to lock in Joshua Kushner's investment firm to a 12-year ownership deal with the Switzerland-based not-for-profit soccer body.

Infantino set out the “singular and unique funding opportunity” in a letter detailing why he wants to create the $20 billion FIFA subsidiary — 20% owned by private investors — that would run the soccer body’s competitions and events like World Cups and Club World Cups.

“It is my duty and responsibility as FIFA president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members,” Infantino wrote in the letter seen by The Associated Press.

The effort elevates the status of Joshua Kushner, who has long been connected financially to his brother Jared.

When Joshua Kushner founded a venture capital firm rather than follow into the family’s real estate business, his elder brother was an early investor and a board member.

The brothers are reportedly close, and their father, Charles Kushner, received a pardon from Trump and now serves as the U.S. Ambassador to France.

But the younger Kushner has a history of six-figure donations to Democrats and his wife, the model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss, attended last month’s opening of the Obama presidential library and told Bloomberg earlier this year she’s never met Donald Trump.

The proposal revealed Tuesday and backed by Joshua Kushner's investment firm Thrive Capital was met with immediate fury from Infantino’s former colleagues at UEFA, which said the World Cup “is not FIFA’s to sell.”

One option open to European soccer is threaten a boycott of FIFA competitions — a tactic used in 2021 when UEFA-led opposition helped stop Infantino's plan to play the World Cup every two years instead of four.

On Wednesday, UEFA and its president Aleksander Čeferin hosted a video conference between its five member federations with the biggest soccer leagues: England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

“President Čeferin expressed his stance against this (FIFA) project,” Giovanni Malagò, the new president of Italian soccer said during the presentation of new Italy coach Roberto Mancini. “The situation is really total conflict."

Infantino's ambitions

FIFA’s private equity plan is the latest ambitious project proposed during Infantino’s 11-year presidency in which he has increasingly seemed to be an executive leader acting without consulting with soccer’s major stakeholders.

Previous plans include creating a FIFA Peace Prize — awarded to Trump in December at the World Cup draw — and trying to push through a secretive $25 billion private equity plan in 2018 to create new and bigger men's competitions. That was resisted by UEFA.

Concerns about the latest and previously secret plan were aired Wednesday by the continental soccer bodies for Asia and the North American region known as CONCACAF.

“We are deeply concerned by the lack of due process,” CONCACAF said in a statement.

The Kuala Lumpur-based Asian Football Confederation said it was “disappointed that a matter of such significance entered the public domain before the AFC family had been afforded the opportunity to examine and discuss it.”

Continental bodies that organize their own international club and national-team competitions plus qualifying games — such as the Champions League, European Championship and Copa America — likely will see threats to those events from FIFA wanting to increase revenue and value for investors by playing World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women more often, along with adding more teams.

The influential, 850-member European Football Clubs group — which has a joint venture with UEFA to manage the Champions League — said it “learned about this proposal in the same way as most global football stakeholders — without warning and through the media.”

Inviting in private investors could also, sports governance academic Antoine Duval suggested Wednesday “incentivize FIFA to further commodify the World Cup (think more hydration breaks and dynamic pricing ) in a drive to increase its revenue.”

What's on offer to FIFA member federations

If the FIFA Forward Enterprise subsidiary is approved by a majority of the 211 members, they also each are promised $20 million in funding from the four-year commercial cycle tied to the men’s 2030 World Cup.

That would lead, Infantinto wrote, to “a pool of diverse international investors” joining Joshua Kushner's Thrive as the anchor investor: “This process will be led by J.P. Morgan.”

If Infantino’s plan is rejected, those members will get their previously promised $10 million over the next four years, his letter stated.

The cash difference on offer Wednesday to FIFA members appears to be $86 million over 12 years compared to about $36 million in existing promised funding for rejecting the private equity deal.

The rushed deadline to claim an initial $20 million “says everything you need to know about this plan,” UEFA said. “FIFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends.”

Dozens of member federations typically rely on FIFA for funding, have national teams with little realistic chance of qualifying for World Cups, and whose best players rarely, if ever, join clubs playing at the highest level of international competitions.

FIFA's one-member, one-vote democratic system means the most powerful soccer nations on the field easily can be outvoted by those who rarely play top-level games.

Resistance in Britain

FIFA’s plan met quick opposition from British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose government is preparing to support hosting the 2035 Women’s World Cup in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. FIFA is set to confirm that lone bid for 2035 at an online meeting in November.

“Football does not belong to investors,” Burnham, a longtime soccer fan, said in a video message on Instagram. “Once you have sold a piece of (the World Cup), you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.”

Resistance by British lawmakers — including threats of legislation by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021 — previously helped stop the divisive European Super League project that was an existential threat to UEFA's Champions League, and which Infantino had discreetly supported. J.P. Morgan bankers also worked with top European clubs on that project, which collapsed within 48 hours.

Infantino's future

Infantino has seemed to be cruising toward being reelected unopposed as FIFA president for a fourth and final term through 2031.

Promising more FIFA funds to member federations was a decisive part of his initial election-day speech in February 2016, and at his unopposed reelections in 2019 and 2023.

Some observers have long suspected Infantino wants a longer-term role running the sport. A CEO or commissioner role at a FIFA subsidiary FFE would fit that bill.

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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

A Heat Advisory and an Extreme Heat Warning continue through 8 p.m. Dangerously hot and humid weather with Heat Indices up to 115 degrees.

A Heat Advisory will be possible Thursday.

Speaking of the heat, it’s been hot, but not as hot as it has been in the past. https://www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/07/29/yes-its-hot-just-not-as-hot-as-last-year-in-northeast-florida-southeast-georgia/

So far today, the activity along the front has been quiet. As the front moves south strong to isolated severe storms will be possible, starting around 4 - 5 p.m. The storms will arrive near the State line and I-10 around 7 - 8 p.m. Showers with thunderstorms will be possible through early Thursday morning. The main hazards will be damaging wind, possible flooding due to heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. The potential for strong or damaging wind gusts is 5 to 15 percent.

The unsettled pattern continues Thursday afternoon with wind and flooding remaining as the main hazards. Rounds of showers and thunderstorms will develop daily through Sunday as temperatures return to near normal.

Tonight: Extreme Heat and Heat Advisory through 8 p.m. Increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms, some strong to isolated severe.

Thursday: A Heat Advisory will be possible. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop along the stalled cold front, mainly across northeast Florida.. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Lows in the upper 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the mid to upper 90s. Feels Like temperatures 104 - 110 degrees.

Friday: Becoming cloudy and hazy with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly across NE FL, 50-60 percent. Southeast Georgia will see partly cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the 70s to low 80s. Highs in the low to mid 90s.

Looking ahead: Rain chances continue through the weekend. The heat will return to near normal as the waves of showers and storms move through.

Tropics: It’s quiet across the Atlantic basin.

Sunrise: 6:44 p.m.

Sunset: 8:22 p.m.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Matt Brown

Occupation: Executive Director, Common Good

Age: 43

Family: Wife Katie, kids June (13) and Rose (10).

Education: B.A. New York University (2004), J.D. New York University (2011)

Political experience: I’ve served eight years as a member of the St. Augustine Port, Waterway, and Beach District, including six years as chair.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The top three issues facing St. Augustine right now are mobility, affordability, and liveability. For mobility, there are dozens of things the city can and should be doing, including partnering with the County to maintain satellite parking sites with shuttle service, shifting traffic patterns (especially during festivals/Nights of Lights) to push traffic out of town, improving bike infrastructure, significantly increasing the number of pedestrian crossings, rerouting the Star Circulator to make it actually useful, planting shade trees along public thoroughfares to improve walkability during summer months... the list goes on and on.

For affordability, the City should be incentivizing ADU construction (with assurances from owners to maintain the units as long-term rentals, not AirBnBs), enhancing enforcement of short-term rental violations, legalizing SROs, targeting tax relief for struggling homeowners, and exploring operational efficiences to make sure that residents’ tax dollars are well spent.

For liveability, the town needs better public spaces (our parks and plazas look threadbare) and a city government that prioritizes and facilitates cultural opportunities, programming, and small businesses that benefit residents, not tourists. A nice place to live is a nice place to visit, and the City needs to do a better job of recognizing that.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I’ve spent 15 years working in public policy, and 8 years as a local elected official. I understand what needs to get done, both at a macro- and micro- level, how to actually do it, and who to call to get it done. I grew up in St. Augustine, and recognize not only where we are now, but where we’ve come from, and as a parent raising his children here, I’ll bring a perspective that’s been missing from the City Commission for a very long time.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

St. Augustine is such a nice place to live, but with a little energy and a little gumption it could be so much nicer. I’m running because I think I can help make our town not just a nice place to live, but the NICEST place to live. I would hope that would be my legacy; a passionate and devoted son of St. Augustine who worked hard to make it a better place for everyone.

Campaign website: secure.anedot.com/matt-brown-for-st-augustine-city-commission/mattbrown4staugustine

Campaign social media: Instagram

Julie Hamlin Settle

Occupation: By day I am Marketing Manager for a local title company. Who am I kidding? I’m always networking, meeting people, solving problems, pitching in to help!

Age: 58

Family: I have a loving man in my life and 2 lovely grown children, both working and prospering right here in St. Augustine. I also have a sweet Husky dog, and 2 beautiful cats.

Education: I am a Flagler College graduate (1990) with a double major in English and Communications.

Political experience: I bring more than 35 years of experience in communications, business development, technology, real estate, and community leadership. A Flagler College graduate with degrees in English and Communication, I began her career in media with Turner Broadcasting and Turner Classic Movies before moving into corporate event management, technology infrastructure, and data center operations. I later helped families navigate homeownership through the mortgage industry and now leads marketing for Land Title of America. Throughout my career, I has worked with business owners, residents, and community leaders, building consensus, solving problems, and managing growth—experience that prepares me to serve St. Augustine with thoughtful, responsible leadership. On a side note, I have a history of politicians in my family line -- 2 city mayors and 1 vice president of the United States!

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. RESPONSIBLE GROWTH: Growth should be guided by infrastructure, traffic, neighborhood impact, and long-term sustainability.

2. STRONGER COMMUNICATION: Communication and transparency between city/county leaders, residents and businesses must improve to build trust and find solutions.

PRESERVING OUR CITY’S CHARACTER: At the same time, we must protect the historic identity and livability that makes St. Augustine unique.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I have no hidden agenda. I do not answer to anyone or any coalition. I want to do the hard, ugly, unglamorous work, witness the results, and hopefully see the satisfaction in the residents’ voices when I speak to them.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

The city’s budget is correctly allocated where the funds truly need to go, the city looks beautiful again, the city functions well, both residents and tourists can peacefully co-exist together.

Campaign website: www.juliesettleforcity.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Ashleigh Barnes

Occupation: Attorney & Small Business Owner

Age: 46

Family: I live in Lincolnville with my husband and three kids.

Education: Stetson University (BA); University of Florida (law - JD); Leiden University (LLM); Australian National University (PhD)

Political experience: I have served on the City’s Planning and Zoning Board for 3.5 years.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Strong Neighborhoods

When neighborhoods and local businesses are thoughtfully compatible, they create a sense of community that makes St. Augustine special.

Accessible Downtown

A downtown that is safe, welcoming, and easy to navigate — works better for residents, workers, local businesses, and visitors alike.

Resilient Infrastructure

Prioritizing flooding, stormwater, drainage, streets, sidewalks, and long-term planning to protect our historic coastal city.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I bring a combination of experience that is different from anyone else running for this office.

As an attorney and former law professor, I am trained to work through complex issues, weigh competing interests, and make decisions grounded in facts, law, and long-term consequences. As a small business owner, I know how to adapt in an ever-changing environment, make practical decisions, and stay focused on what actually works. And as a startup founder, I understand how to build a long-term vision while taking the urgent, concrete steps every day to move toward it.

But one of the most important lessons I have learned is that you cannot solve a problem well unless you listen first. You listen, you create a solution, you test it, you listen again, you adapt, and you keep improving. Listening is not something that happens once at the beginning of a process. It has to happen at every step.

I also bring direct experience serving St. Augustine. For the last 3.5 years, I have served on the City’s Planning & Zoning Board, hearing hundreds of applications from across the city. That work has required me to review staff reports, apply the Comprehensive Plan and City ordinances, listen to residents, applicants, business owners, preservation advocates, engineers, planners, and neighbors, and make decisions that affect the daily life and long-term future of St. Augustine.

That matters because the City Commission is not an entry-level position. Voters deserve someone who can serve on day one with preparation, independence, judgment, and a deep respect for the people who live and work here.

I can help voters by bringing both experience and a fresh approach: strong neighborhoods, an accessible downtown, resilient infrastructure, and a city government that listens carefully, acts thoughtfully, and keeps improving.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would hope to be remembered for helping St. Augustine become a city that works better for the people who live, work, and build their lives here — while protecting the character that makes it special.

That means stronger neighborhoods where residents, local businesses, and public spaces are thoughtfully compatible. It means a downtown that is safer, more welcoming, and easier to navigate for residents, workers, businesses, and visitors. And it means real progress on resilient infrastructure — flooding, stormwater, drainage, streets, sidewalks, and long-term planning for a historic coastal city.

But I would also hope to be remembered for how I served: by listening carefully, doing the homework, asking better questions, and making decisions with independence, preparation, and judgment.

St. Augustine faces complex challenges. I do not think success will come from one big promise or one simple fix. It will come from steady, thoughtful work: listening to residents and businesses, testing solutions, adapting when needed, and taking the urgent small steps every day that move us toward a stronger future.

If I serve, I hope people will say that I helped bring a fresh approach to City Hall — one rooted in service, focused on results, and committed to helping St. Augustine truly thrive.

Campaign website: www.ashleigh-barnes.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Cynthia Golos-Guergawi

Occupation: Former national organization executive, I currently operate a travel consultancy and am a community volunteer.

Age: (No answer)

Family: I live in St. Augustine with my husband, Mark, and am privileged to be an aunt to 20 nieces and nephews that keep me busy and grateful.

Education: Excelsior College, Bachelor’s of Science

Political experience: In Washington D.C., my organization was directly involved in passing federal legislation and supporting candidates running for federal and state office. My teams provided strategic services to our federation that operated in each state and territory, and our many coalition partners.

Similar to municipal governance, I’ve had oversight of an annual budget equal to St. Augustine’s. I led a strategic plan that modernized our infrastructure, created new policies, and delivered improved service quality across the board. Representing my department, I had a vote in all significant capital and operational investments.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Better mobility for residents, visitors, workers and students.

We need an enhanced, multi-modal transit system that provides a real alternative for driving in the greater St. Augustine area. Land and water options. Connected bike lanes. Additional non-urban parking, and extended routes to historic points of interest, retail, and for air travel. Evening hours of operation.

I will work collectively with the city, county and funders to make this a reality.

2. Helping local businesses flourish.

Healthy businesses that experience real collaboration with their city have a positive effect on everyone.

I will advocate for a permitting process that adopts an 80/20 time-bound structure, with permit queue transparency. We’ll create pathways for young professionals using non-traditional methods and business spaces. I will take a ‘least amount necessary’ approach to restrictions and ordinances that balance safety and business creativity.

3. Financial management in times of change.

Leveraging my budget planning and forecasting experience, I will work with the City Commission and City Manager to plan effectively for risks such as potential revenue shortfalls, safeguarding our critical infrastructure projects and personnel, while actively pursuing opportunities for new funding streams.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I have many years of experience managing a large workforce and an annual operating budget the same size as St. Augustine’s.

Governing a business with equivalent operational complexities, competing priorities and market pressures is something I can uniquely bring to the office.

My track record for fostering national, regional and local partnerships with mutually-beneficial outcomes differentiates me from others running for my seat.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

A leader that helped St. Augustine grow and preserve in a thoughtful way with long-term strategy, and a person that others would say she was really great to work with and I’d do it again.

Campaign website: www.cindyforstaugustine.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Ko Robins

Occupation: Small business owner of 30 years with my husband, consultant and FEMA flood adjuster

Age: 55

Family: I have been married to my husband for over 29 years, and together we have raised three successful children, all of whom earned college degrees from FSU. Two of our children proudly serve as first responders, dedicating their lives to helping others. Family has always been the foundation of my life, teaching me the values of service, responsibility, hard work, and compassion that guide me in both my personal life and my commitment to public service.

Education: Attended college; completed extensive professional training through FEMA and continuing education in disaster recovery, flood mitigation, and claims management.

Political experience: Former State Committeewoman; Vice Chair and Legislative Chair of the St. Johns County Executive Committee; the only delegate that represented St. Johns County in Congressional District 5; worked with county, state, and federal officials to advocate for legislation, appropriations, and policies benefiting St. Johns County and the City of St. Augustine.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The top three issues are fiscal responsibility, infrastructure and parks, and flooding. First, I will work to ensure every tax dollar is spent wisely by increasing transparency, eliminating waste, and protecting essential services. Second, we must invest in infrastructure and parks, so roads, public spaces, and public safety keep pace with our community’s needs while preserving St. Augustine’s historic character. Third, we must reduce flooding by improving stormwater systems, strengthening infrastructure, protecting our waterways, and aggressively pursuing county, state and federal funding. My focus will always be practical solutions that put residents first and protect our city’s future.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I offer a unique combination of real-world business experience, disaster recovery expertise, legislative advocacy, and decades of community service. As a FEMA flood adjuster, I understand the challenges our residents face and how to secure resources for recovery and resilience. As a small business owner, I know the importance of responsible budgeting and accountability. Having worked with local, state, and federal leaders, I know how to build relationships that bring funding and solutions home. Now that my children are grown and successful, I have the time to devote my full attention and energy to serving St. Augustine. This is more than a part-time commitment for me—it’s an opportunity to give back to the local community I love. I will be an accessible, independent voice who listens, leads with integrity, and always puts St. Augustine city residents first.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered for leaving St. Augustine stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for future generations. I want residents to know I was a commissioner who listened, led with integrity, protected taxpayer dollars, and made decisions based on facts, not politics. I hope my service results in improved infrastructure, reduced flooding, greater government transparency, and responsible growth that preserves our historic character and natural resources. Most importantly, I want people to remember that I always put the interests of our residents and our community first.

Campaign website: www.korobins.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Two seats on the five-member elected board are on the November ballot in non-partisan races, meaning candidates run without party affiliation and the elections are open to all county voters.

News4JAX is in the process of gathering responses from these candidates and will post full profiles as the general election approaches.

SEAT 2 CANDIDATES

• Catherine Brandhorst
• Tim Burton (incumbent)
• Sandra Fein
• Ed Slavin

SEAT 4 CANDIDATES

• George Tom Anagnos
• Gary Howell
• Merrill Paul Roland
• Jason Smith

The researchers detected about 450 cases in Atlanta-area hospitals over five years. About a third of the patients died in the hospital.

The findings, published this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, come from an attempt to better gauge how common these kinds of illnesses are. The government does not require doctors to report the illnesses.

“It's kind of the first time we've had an estimate like this," said the CDC's Dr. Jeremy Gold, the study's senior author.

And it's important to understand it now, because the problem may grow in the future, he added. Mold exposure is a recurring problem in the wake of hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters influenced by climate change, researchers have found.

“I agree that the frequency of fungal infections will likely increase with climate change,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jenks, an infectious disease researcher at Duke University.

Meanwhile, there’s a growing population of older people who are more susceptible to such illnesses, Gold said.

Invasive mold diseases are rare infections caused by certain species. Most people who get infected inhale mold spores, but they can also enter the body through cuts or wounds or from contaminated medical equipment.

The spores don't cause health problems for most people, but they can be life-threatening to some, including the elderly, cancer patients and others with weakened immune systems.

Previously, CDC researchers estimated more than 15,000 hospitalizations a year could be tied to invasive mold disease.

To better understand how common cases might be at a local level, the research team worked with four Atlanta-area hospitals and their affiliated outpatient clinics to look for potential cases from 2020 to 2024.

They initially identified nearly 1,000 potential cases, but winnowed the number down to about 450 by ruling out patients who may have had signs of exposure but didn't qualify as having invasive mold disease.

The researchers found that hospitals can expect to see 3 to 5 cases per year for every 100 inpatient beds. The rates were higher at larger academic hospitals that tend to see more complicated illnesses.

Most patients had impaired immune systems or — in a number of cases — were weakened after falling sick from COVID-19.

Mold exposures can occur in hospitals or other healthcare facilities, but the study did not try to determine where each patient was first exposed, Gold said.

It's hard to generalize what was seen in the Atlanta area to other parts of the country where mold may be more or less of a problem, he said. But it should give hospital administrators at least a rough idea about whether the number of cases they see is what might be expected or whether it's an outbreak, Gold added.

Jenks called the study's findings "valuable," but said “seeing results from similar studies done in different parts of the United States would be helpful.”

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

ATC Management told broadcaster RTE Hansard's family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken.”

News of his death brought tributes from fellow musicians including Bruce Springsteen, who said on Instagram he was “heartbroken” at the loss of “a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.”

Irish police said a man in his 50s died in single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Lucan, on the western outskirts of the Irish capital, before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. The man, who they did not name, was treated at the scene but pronounced dead a short time later.

Hansard combined acting and a musical career. He played a member of a Dublin soul band in the hit 1991 movie “The Commitments” and won an Oscar in 2008 for the song “Falling Slowly,” which he co-wrote for the indie musical “Once" with co-star Markéta Irglová.

“Once,” a love story about two struggling musicians, was later adapted for Broadway, again with songs by Hansard and Irglová. It won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical.

Hansard was long-serving front man for rock band The Frames, half of rock duo The Swell Season with Irglová and released solo albums including “Didn’t He Ramble,” which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2016.

Ireland's President Catherine Connolly said he was one of Ireland’s great singer-songwriters.

“Glen was one of the vital driving influences of the Irish music world, bringing people together in the sharing of live music," Connolly said. "He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or experienced his work.”

Actor-comedian Chris O’Dowd said Hansard’s “energizing melodies and soulful, searching voice made the tough times more manageable, the stagnant times more beautiful, and the joyful times even more memorable.”

Hansard started out as a busker on the streets of Dublin. He became famous for leading the Christmas Eve busk outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, where members of the public gathered to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of a homelessness charity.

Former Irish president Michael D. Higgins said Hansard was a “wonderful musician and performer” who also "placed great emphasis throughout his life to the importance of tackling the problems of society."

At the funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan in 2023, Hansard performed a rousing version of The Pogues' song “Fairytale Of New York” with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill that had the congregation dancing in the aisles of the church.

Hansard is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their 3-year-old son, Christy.

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A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Hansard was awarded an Oscar in 2007. He received the award in 2008.

This year, three seats are up for election through the normal cycle of terms. The incumbent Group 1 commissioner, Michelle Cash-Chapman, was the only one to qualify for that race and was automatically re-elected. Group 2 commissioner Jerry Dedge, who was appointed to the board last year, is seeking a full term, and faces two challengers. The Group 3 seat is an open race this year, as the commissioner appointed by Gov. DeSantis last year, Daniel Bean, is not seeking election to a full term.

The Airport Authority elections are non-partisan, meaning the candidates run without party affiliation and the races are open to all voters. These races will appear on the general election ballot.

News4JAX is in the process of gathering responses from these candidates and will post full profiles as the general election approaches.

GROUP 2 CANDIDATES

• Jerry Dedge
• Daniel Rotstein
• John H. Wilson

GROUP 3 CANDIDATES

• Christopher Cannan
• Sean Griswold
• Sean Hess

Consumer Reports says home warranties can provide peace of mind, but the companies that sell them often include exclusions that can make it easier to deny claims.

Before buying a policy, it’s important to understand what’s covered — and what isn’t.

Watch The Morning Show on Thursday to learn the questions you should ask before buying a policy and how to know whether you even need one.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Leif M. Jonassen III

Occupation: Real Estate

Age: 63

Family: 3 Children and Engaged partner 3 children (Brady Bunch)

Education: San Diego St. University

Political experience: Limited formal political experience. Served as High School Booster Club President, where I’ve led parent volunteers, managed budgets, and advocated for students and schools programs.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Parents Rights: Restore transparency and opt-out rights. Notify parents on curriculum and protect their authority in education and health decisions. Fiscal Responsibility: Cut waste through audits, transparent budgets, and prioritizing classroom spending over administration. Academic Fundamentals & Vocational Training: Emphasize phonics, math, and core skills. Expand CTE and apprenticeships for workforce readiness.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

Unlike career politicians or insiders who defend the status quo, I bring an independent, parent-first voice with no ties to special interests. Voters get a fighter who listens directly to families, follows through with measurable results, and puts children and taxpayers ahead of the system.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Making curriculum transparent, protecting patently authority, eliminating waste to redirect money into classrooms, raising reading and math proficiency, and building strong career & technical educations pathways so every graduate has real options. (College, Trades or Apprenticeships)

Campaign website: leif4schoolboarddistrict4.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

Tammie McClafferty

Occupation: CEO Lifework Leadership First Coast

Age: 53

Family: Husband of 31 years...Sean McClafferty

Daughter and Son-in-Law...Baylie and Camden Kuhn

Son...Creed McClafferty 23

Son...Canon McClafferty 20

Education: Ed.D Organizational Leadership in Education (Grand Canyon University)

MAR Masters in the Art of Religious Studies (Liberty University)

MAT Masters in the Art of Teaching (Marygrove College)

BA Elementary Education (Cedarville University)

Political experience: While I have assisted and volunteered on several campaigns for local civic leaders, this is my first time seeking elected office. My background is not in politics—it is in education, leadership, and community service.

Throughout my career, I have served as a teacher, principal, professor, university director, and school operator, while also remaining actively involved in our local schools and community organizations. I am running because I believe my experience in education and my commitment to St. Johns County can help ensure our students, teachers, and families continue to thrive.

I view this opportunity not as a political endeavor, but as a chance to serve our community and strengthen our schools.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Fiscal Accountability and Budget Transparency

As a steward of taxpayer dollars, I believe we must ensure every dollar is being used effectively to support student success. I will advocate for an independent forensic review of the district’s finances to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Our community deserves confidence that resources are being directed where they have the greatest impact—our classrooms, students, and teachers.

2. Stronger Advocacy in Tallahassee

St. Johns County is proud to be home to one of the highest-performing school districts in Florida. As our community continues to grow, we need a stronger voice at the state level to ensure our students, families, and educators are represented. I will work with state leaders to advocate for policies and funding that support our district’s unique needs while protecting the local control that has contributed to our success.

3. Teacher Retention and Staff Development

Exceptional schools are built by exceptional educators. To maintain the academic excellence our community expects, we must invest in recruiting, retaining, and developing high-quality teachers and staff. I will support meaningful professional development, provide educators with the tools and resources they need to navigate new requirements, and work to create an environment where teachers feel valued, supported, and empowered to help every student succeed.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

What sets me apart is the combination of experience, values, and community involvement that I will bring to the School Board on day one.

First, I have a depth of educational experience that is unmatched. Throughout my career, I have served as a teacher, principal, professor, university director, and owner/operator of four schools. This gives me a unique understanding of education from the classroom to administration, allowing me to make informed decisions that support both students and educators. I am the MOST QUALIFIED.

Second, I bring a strong foundation of faith, character, and conservative values. My Master’s Degree is in Biblical Studies, I have been actively involved in the local faith community for many years, and my husband serves as a local pastor. These experiences have shaped my commitment to integrity, accountability, servant leadership, and putting students first. I am the MOST CONSERVATIVE.

Finally, I am deeply rooted in St. Johns County. My family has lived in Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee for 18 years, and we have raised our children in St. Johns County schools. I have served on the Valley Ridge Academy Principal Advisory Council, as President of the Nease Athletic Boosters, and in numerous community organizations. I understand our schools not only as an educator, but also as a parent, volunteer, and taxpayer. I am DEEPLY ROOTED.

Voters deserve a School Board member who understands education, shares their values, and has a proven record of investing in this community. I believe my experience and long-standing commitment to St. Johns County uniquely position me to serve our students, families, and educators effectively.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

When my service on the School Board is complete, I hope to be remembered for leading with integrity, courage, and transparency. I want parents, students, educators, and taxpayers to know that I listened, communicated openly, and always made decisions based on what was best for students.

I hope to be remembered as a strong advocate for parents and students, ensuring their voices were heard and respected in the decision-making process. I also want to be known for protecting and strengthening the academic excellence that has made St. Johns County one of the highest-performing school districts in Florida.

Most importantly, I hope my contributions helped prepare students not only for academic success, but for life. Education should equip young people with knowledge, critical thinking skills, strong character, and a commitment to responsible citizenship. If I leave our schools stronger, our families more engaged, and our students better prepared to thrive beyond the classroom, I will consider my service a success.

INTEGRITY. BOLDNESS. TRANSPARENCY.

ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS

MAINTAINING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

BUILDING LIFELONG LEARNERS WITH CHARACTERISTICS THAT TRANSLATE BEYONG THE CLASSROOM.

Campaign website: www.tammiemcclafferty.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Jillian Tozer

Occupation: Small Business Owner

Age: 40

Family: I live in Nocatee with my husband, Brendan, and our two daughters, Lilly and Maddy, who are entering the third and fifth grades here at Valley Ridge Academy.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning from Temple University; Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts from The Culinary Institute of America.

Political experience: I am a first-time candidate. I am stepping up as a parent, a local business owner, and a community planner to serve our students, rather than a career politician looking to build a resume.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Smart Growth & Rezoning: Our district is grappling with explosive population growth and chaotic rezoning. I will leverage my professional background in Community and Regional Planning to implement data-driven infrastructure modeling. We need proactive solutions to ease school overcrowding, rather than wasting taxpayer dollars building $67 million new facilities while neighboring schools sit under capacity due to poor planning.

2. Retaining Elite Educators: We recently lost over 60 highly qualified teachers due to stagnant wages and the rising cost of living in St. Johns County. To maintain our #1 state ranking, I will fight for competitive, living wages to keep top-tier talent in our classrooms, and I will trust teachers’ professional judgment rather than allowing culture wars to undermine their expertise.

3. Fiscal Responsibility & Accountability: I will rigorously audit district operations to maximize the efficiency of our billion dollar budget. Additionally, I will demand that any private institution receiving public taxpayer voucher dollars meets the exact same rigorous accreditation and quality standards as our traditional public schools. Public money requires a public quality guarantee.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I am the only candidate in this race who actually owns a home in District 4, meaning I pay the property taxes that fund our district. I am also the only candidate with children currently enrolled in our public schools. While my opponents are renting their way through this election, I have permanent roots and actual skin in the game. Furthermore, to prove that my focus is strictly on our students and not personal political gain, I have formally pledged to donate 50% of my School Board salary directly back to the local PTOs within District 4.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered as a pragmatic problem-solver who successfully managed Nocatee and Ponte Vedra’s rapid growth without diluting the educational excellence of our community. Most importantly, I want to be remembered as the board member who kept national politics out of the classroom and ensured that St. Johns County remained the #1 school district in the state by putting our students and teachers first.

Campaign website: jilliantozer.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

Kevin Allen

Occupation: Capital Medical Sales

Age: 35

Family: Married

Education: MBA - Corporate Finance

Political experience: None

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. DEBT: $400M+ in long-term bond debt is placing an undue squeeze on the resources available in the budget to fund education. I would vote to slow the growth via the School Concurrency Reviews to admit to the developers proposing new developments that we do not have the capacity at this time to handle the infrastructure for their new projects. I will also vote to require that each department becomes 2-4% more efficient to add back millions of dollars back to the budget to retire debt early.

2. TEACHER WORK ENVIRONMENT: teachers are not supported by administration and often get bullied by the parents as well causing an inordinate amount of stress, which detracts from them doing their job effectively. I would vote to make a component of the principal’s compensation and evaluation reliant on teacher retention in their school, and would immediately implement exit interviews to all teachers leaving their post as well as parents pulling their kids out of the school to determine what the district can do to improve. I would also vote in favor of a Parent Code of Conduct, which would address the behavior and respect a parent is expected to show teachers and vice versa. I would also vote to have the Code spell out the responsibilities of the parents and the teachers and have them sign to acknowledge their part of the equation.

3. PRACTICAL CURRICULUM: students are going to school just to take numerous tests in order to create rankings of each district across the state. This creates a system of teaching to the minimum standard just to pass a test, and does not foster real learning. A major goal of mine would be to make a High School Diploma valuable again, and not just a minimum requirement box to be checked that does not actually unlock any opportunities post-graduation. School is not for administrators or government officials to pat themselves on the back, but rather for students to learn skills that they can use in their actual life. I would vote to implement a more customized schedule to allow students with different interests to begin their paths earlier. Students interested in STEM could go down that track, students more interested in humanities could go down that track. The universal basics that benefit all students would be more Physical Education & Nutrition (time away from screens and technology) to improve health and knowledge around foods to avoid, Financial Literacy to understand how to save and invest for their futures to increase economic independence, and Civics so the students can understand how our government works and to get involved into how it affects their daily lives compared to other forms of government (with the goal of every senior passing the US Citizenship test before graduating).

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

My background and expertise in finance is unique to the school board and its absence can be seen in how the finances have been thus far mismanaged. The answer to getting the school district out of debt is NOT to perpetually raise taxes. Bringing private sector knowledge to turnaround a struggling entity is something that no former teacher or principal has had experience with and that will give the school district a fresh set of eyes and opinions on how to solve the pressing issue of financial solvency.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered for bringing an excitement back to going to Public School. With all the competitive options, it is more difficult than ever to keep students in the system and with the changes I listed above I believe that SJC families will see the value in sending their children back to our public schools because of the prioritization of practical curriculum that is better equipping them for success after graduation.

Campaign website: kevinallenforschoolboard.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Beverly Slough

Occupation: Full time work with School Board

Age: 77

Family: Husband: Wes Slough

Daughters: Julie Simmons and Elizabeth Southard

Grandchildren: Raleigh and Carter Simmons

Education: BS in Biology, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas

Political experience: I have served on the St. Johns County School Board for 24 years. In that role, I have always served as the Legislative Liaison for our board and have spent extensive time in both Tallahassee and Washington, DC, advocating for our children.

I ran for Congress in 2012, finishing third in a field of seven.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Navigating the change to universal vouchers. I plan to continue to work with the Legislature to move funding for vouchers out of the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). Having a separate line item for vouchers will allow traditional school districts to plan their budgets in a more stable manner. Currently, vouchers are part of the FEFP, which creates uncertainty about how state funds flow. Separating the two will help solve the problem.

Classroom Discipline. With a growing number of students with special needs and severe behavioral issues comes the challenge of maintaining an orderly classroom so that all children can learn. Finding a path to deal with the extreme behaviors of some students in consistent and fair manner, involving parents as partners, will ensure that every child gets the full benefit of instruction.

Attendence. A great number of students are absent more than 15 days in the school year and many are chronically tardy. A child cannot benefit from the excellence in education provided by our teachers if they are not present in the classroom. I plan to work to reduce absences and tardies by partnering with parents and utilizing available options to encourage consistent attendance.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I am available on a full time basis to do the job of school board member. This enables me to be responsive when constituents have questions, issues, need guidance, or just need a listening ear. I am accessible and responsive to the voters in my district and across the county.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would hope that people remember me as a person who always had the best interest of children at the root of every decision she made.

Campaign website: www.votebevslough.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the workout that Mia Bieniemy had been released from the intensive care unit, where she was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. But there was no timetable for when Eric Bieniemy would be back with the team.

“She's making progress,” Reid said, “so we're happy about that.”

Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of the couple, was arrested in connection with the late-Sunday shooting. He was charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling, and was being held without bond Wednesday at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Elijah Bieniemy has a court date to hear motions scheduled for Thursday. His preliminary hearing date is Aug. 31.

Eric Bieniemy returned earlier this year to the Chiefs, where he experienced his greatest success as an assistant. He was instrumental in Kansas City reaching three Super Bowls and winning two of them before departing for the Washington Commanders in 2023, where he had wanted to build upon his resume in the hopes of landing a head coaching job.

Bieniemy was part of Ron Rivera's staff that was let go following that season, though. He spent one season as offensive coordinator at UCLA before spending last season coaching the running backs with the Chicago Bears.

However long he misses training camp is noteworthy, given Bieniemy is trying to get up to speed with any changes to Reid's playbook over the past few years. But the Chiefs are uniquely suited to press on without him during an important part of training camp.

Not only do they have continuity on their coaching staff but have veteran leaders on the offensive side of the ball.

Pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier, who has been with the Chiefs for the past decade and is widely considered a rising star in the profession, has assumed many of Bieniemy's responsibilities. Others have fallen upon veteran offensive line coach Andy Heck, who has held that job ever since Reid's initial Kansas City coaching staff was put together following the 2012 season.

There's also the fact that Reid has a heavy hand in running the Chiefs offense. He receives plenty of input from his coordinators, but it is ultimately Reid who calls the plays on gameday, and who has the ear of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As for the two-time MVP, who is coming off reconstructive surgery on his left knee, Mahomes knows the Kansas City offense as well as anybody besides his head coach. And when you add in veterans such as tight end Travis Kelce, offensive linemen Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, and wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, there is plenty of experience out on the field.

“We’ll be able to keep it moving here,” Reid said.

Meanwhile, Mahomes looked sharp in his first 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work of camp Wednesday, even though the Chiefs won't have pads on for several more days. At one point, he zipped a pass between two defenders to Kelce for a nice gain in the red zone.

“I feel stronger than I've ever felt as far as strength and lifting and stuff like that,” Mahomes said, "so now it's just about getting that quarterback stuff down, the stuff moving in the pocket quick — making those quick movements — reacting and doing stuff like that.

“I feel like I wasn't playing my best football at the end of last year before I got hurt,” he added. “I've got to find ways to get better, kind of navigating the pocket, run the offense better, getting the ball out of my hands and letting guys make plays. So I think this injury has kind of helped me focus on those little things as I kind of get back to who I am.”

Notes: DE Ethan Downs had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee and was placed on injured reserve. ... Rice (knee) and CB L'Jarius Snead (knee) participated in about half the practice before spending the rest of the time with the training staff. “That was the plan,” Reid said. ... First-round CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) participated in most of practice in a yellow no-contact jersey.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

While that number seems high, it’s not nearly the number we had in 2025, 2024, or 2023.

According to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, the excessive number of high heat index values has become a common theme for the month of July over the past 4 summers. Another dangerously hot and humid day is on track for Wednesday 7/29 with heat indices expected in the 110-115F range, but not likely to reach the impressive peak heat index of 118F (T 99F/Td 79F) set last year on 7-29-2025.

Our region is likely looking at another Heat Advisory on Thursday, possibly Friday, to end the month of July with either 11, maybe 12 days, of “feels like” temperatures over 108 degrees.

So Jordan Davis, one of the biggest offseason beneficiaries of a contract extension, cut to the chase Wednesday and got straight to the topic of the day.

“I will be asking the questions,” Davis said with laugh as he took his seat for a news conference.

“How we feeling about LeBron being in town?”

Yes, in a sports city that each time this summer turns as green in team colors as the cash spent on Davis and fellow defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the Eagles have been overshadowed by the arrival of the most famous active American athlete in LeBron James.

An image of the NBA’s career leading scorer could be seen on the video board outside the Philadelphia 76ers' arena across the street from the Eagles’ practice facility. The newest Sixers superstar had no immediate plans to travel to Philadelphia, but if he does, the Eagles will roll out the red carpet on the green grass for James.

“He can come out to practice any time he wants,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said.

The Eagles welcomed him to Philly with arms as wide open as they are for James' pregame chalk toss.

Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts and 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley both rank somewhere on the short list of most accomplished and most famous Philadelphia athletes. Even they turned into wide-eyed fans much like the rest of Philadelphia when they found out the 41-year-old James had indeed signed a two-year contract with the Sixers.

“I think for what he represents in sports and sports culture,” Hurts said, “it’s huge. And I think it’s huge for the city of Philadelphia. It’ll be exciting to have a figure like that in the city. What’s he done. One of the greatest to ever do it. I’m excited to be a part of that.”

James could do worse than duplicate Barkley's free-agent results when he left the New York Giants after six seasons and signed with the Eagles ahead of the 2024 season. He rushed for a franchise-record 2,005 yards and won a Super Bowl in his first try with the Eagles.

Barkley pitched James at his youth football camp earlier this month on the appeal of playing in Philadelphia.

“If you want to go out with a bang,” Barkley said, "I feel like a great spot would be in Philly, and bringing a championship to Philadelphia, you’d be remembered forever.”

James already had the “remembered forever” stamp in sports thank to his peerless resume in the NBA.

Barkley — who played golf with former President Barack Obama and also invited James on social media to “ tee it up ” — demurred when pressed on his influence in James signing with the Sixers.

Playing with All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown surely swayed James more than Barkley. The running back didn't care much how exactly James made his Philly decision, or if James was even aware of his endorsement. He's just thrilled James has joined Philly's star-studded athlete roster.

“I think the city of Philadelphia is a super cool place to be for sports, with how involved the fans are,” Barkley said at training camp. “Having LeBron here is just great for the culture.”

Barkley, Hurts and other Eagles players still on the roster from two seasons ago are among the relatively few in Philadelphia sports history with championship rings. The Eagles won their only two Super Bowls in the last 10 years. The Flyers haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1975 and the Phillies since 2008.

James joins a 76ers franchise that has not won an NBA title since 1983.

He's not here for second place.

The Eagles say, go get 'em.

“Looks like the Sixers are trying to go win one,” said Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith, a Boston Celtics fan. “Can't be mad at that.”

Injury update for linebacker Jonathan Greenard

The Eagles placed linebacker Jonathan Greenard on the physically unable to perform list with a pectoral strain. The Eagles acquired the Pro Bowl edge rusher in an April trade with Minnesota. He subsequently agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension including $50 million in fully guaranteed money.

Roseman said Greenard should be ready for the Sept. 13 opener against Washington.

“This is not a long-term injury,” Roseman said. “This is nothing we are concerned about."

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

As part of the Fifth Amendment, the right against self-incrimination is well known to the general public thanks to years of legal and police procedural shows on television as well as instances of high-profile use in real life. The amendment also includes a right to due process and protects against being prosecuted twice for the same offense.

It has seeped into the culture, too. “Pleading the Fifth” has become an idiom in the United States, used jokingly in casual conversation as a way to get out of answering a possibly uncomfortable question.

It's not a uniquely American principle

The general principle is not a uniquely American one. Its roots include English common law dating back to the 17th century.

At the time the Constitution was being written, it was enshrined along with other amendments to put limits on the newly created federal government. The Fifth Amendment and a handful of others were focused on criminal justice issues, with other amendments including things like the right to a lawyer and a speedy jury trial, and a prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.

One of the core tenets of the U.S. criminal justice system is that people are innocent until proven guilty, and that it's up to the prosecuting power to prove guilt. Without a right to avoid self-incrimination, people could be put in the position of having to prove their own innocence rather than being shown as guilty.

It can be used in a number of circumstances

Over the course of U.S. history, the Fifth Amendment has expanded beyond federal criminal cases to the state court level, and to civil cases as well. There's a difference, though.

In criminal cases, if someone on trial invokes the amendment and refuses to testify, the jurors must be told that they can't assume that silence equals guilt. In civil cases, drawing a negative inference from a refusal to testify can be allowed.

Of course, even in criminal cases, if jurors are told it doesn't mean a defendant is guilty, they could still believe that not testifying correlates to having done what they are accused of. Witnesses can also plead the Fifth, but they can answer other questions — as opposed to defendants, for whom it's all or nothing in regards to testifying.

The Fifth Amendment's use has also shown up in hearings before Congress, when those who have been subpoenaed to testify under oath reference it out of concerns that something they say could then be used in some kind of criminal proceeding.

High-profile figures have invoked it

In a hearing before a Republican-led Senate committee about how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci turned to the Fifth in declining to answer questions. It drew scorn from Republicans, while Democrats supported him.

In 2022, when he was out of the White House after his first term as president, Donald Trump used the Fifth repeatedly in a deposition for a civil case against the Trump Organization in New York.

In the 1950s, when Sen. Joe McCarthy held anticommunist hearings, some witnesses used the amendment when being questioned. Even though they had the right, McCarthy condemned them for it, and they faced consequences that included public censure and blacklisting.

TOTE Services LLC, which stands for Totem Ocean Trailer Express, was selected by the U.S. Navy and awarded the Landing Ship Medium (LSM) contract. The award covers up to eight Medium Landing Ships and names TOTE Services as the vessel construction manager (VCM). A separate company will handle the physical construction of the ships in Philadelphia.

From Alaska to Jacksonville — and now the Navy

TOTE started in Seattle, Washington and Alaska before expanding its footprint to Jacksonville, Puerto Rico and the military sector. Today, the company also operates TOTE Logistics and TOTE Terminals at JAXPORT.

Beyond the new Navy contract, TOTE already moves 3.6 billion pounds of goods between Puerto Rico and Jacksonville every year — a round-trip operation that keeps supply chains running around the clock.

A ‘pretty exciting week’ seven years in the making

Jeff Dixon, President of TOTE Services LLC and a former U.S. Coast Guard captain, said the back-to-back contract wins were the result of years of preparation.

“Last week was a pretty exciting week,” Dixon said.

Dixon described the company’s culture as a key ingredient in its growth. “I think TOTE is an employer of choice — a company of integrity that genuinely cares about its people,” he said.

A Florida native, Dixon said working in the maritime industry while supporting the military branch he once served gives him a unique sense of purpose.

Jacksonville’s role in a growing U.S. maritime industry

Dixon said the contracts are more than a business milestone — they reflect a broader national trend.

“The U.S. maritime industry is growing leaps and bounds, and that’s an amazing story. Tremendous opportunity,” Dixon said.

Giving back to the Jacksonville community

TOTE’s impact stretches beyond the waterfront. The company supports several local organizations, including Hugs St. Johns, Blessings in a Backpack, Lend a Wing at UNF and school supply drives for students at Pickett Elementary.

“I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false,” Leto, 54, said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The BBC documentary “Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret,” released Wednesday, details allegations including those from four women who accused the actor of sexual misconduct and assault between 2002 and 2016, when they were teenagers and Leto was an adult. One said she was 17 when she was sexually assaulted, while another accused Leto of statutory rape as she was also 17. One woman said she was 19 when Leto threatened her with sexual assault and another said she was 16 when Leto made sexually explicit phone calls and propositioned her.

The BBC says it corroborated the women's accounts, which could not be independently verified by the AP. The documentary does not identify the women by their full names. The BBC said Leto did not respond to its attempts to seek comment for its documentary. The AP sent an emailed request for comment to the BBC on Wednesday seeking a response to Leto's denial.

Leto was also accused of misconduct by nine women who spoke to Air Mail for a story published last year. A representative for Leto denied those allegations at the time.

Leto, an Oscar winner for his supporting role in “Dallas Buyers Club,” is also the frontman of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars. He recently starred as Skeletor in “Masters of the Universe.”

RELATED: ‘She hasn’t slept in 2 days’: Woman traumatized after witnessing crash that killed 2 teens on Edgewood Avenue

Officials identified the victims as Logan Zayeer Daniels and Dallas King. Their ages have not been released by JSO.

Shamair Jones still has a grateful attitude after losing her two young cousins.

“It’s all because of Jesus,” Jones said. “We can’t do this by ourselves. If it wasn’t for Jesus, we’d be going down, but because we know they’re still with us. They’re here in spirit.”

Jones said her cousins were very active at Pentecostal Church of God Christian Academy.

“They were goofy, full of life. Every time you were around, they’d make you laugh,” She said.

The Toyota Camry they were riding in was crushed under a large pick-up truck that was hauling two vehicles, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

The crash sent the 28-year-old driver of the Camry to the hospital with critical injuries after he was extricated by first responders, who found him trapped in the Camry when they arrived.

Sgt. Robert Hungerford of JSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit said that around 11:15 a.m. Saturday, a Dodge 3500 pick-up truck towing a large trailer loaded with two vehicles was headed eastbound on Edgewood Avenue West near the intersection of Lem Turner Road.

Investigators say the Dodge slammed into the back of the Camry, forcing it into the back of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck and pushing it through the intersection.

The Dodge ended up on top of the Camry.

Members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were able to get the driver out of the Camry. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

JSO said the driver of the Ford was also taken to the hospital and was in stable condition.

First responders found the two teen boys dead inside the Camry.

The driver of the Dodge, a man in his 50s, was cooperating with investigators, Hungerford said.

He said detectives were still trying to determine how fast the vehicles were traveling, but the sergeant said speed or braking is likely to play a factor, given how the Dodge which was pulling a trailer and heading downhill, went over the Camry.

Investigators are also trying to determine whether distraction may have played a role.

The family said that they’re staying strong by relying on their faith.

“Flesh is going to hurt, but they’re in a better place. Happy they’re in a better place. [They] don’t have to worry about anything here on Earth,” she said.

These were the 106th and 107th traffic fatalities in Duval County this year.

News4JAX is working to learn more about the teens who were killed in the crash.

Colbert was among the recipients of the 47th annual American Book Awards. They were announced Wednesday by the Before Columbus Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California, that champions diversity in U.S. literature and culture.

CBS ended Colbert's program in May, removing a high-profile platform for one of Trump's most prominent critics. The network cited economic reasons for its decision. Colbert and others have questioned that explanation.

The foundation also honored a wide range of literary releases, from Nicholas Boggs' “Baldwin,” a biography of James Baldwin; to John Fugelsang's religious critique “Separation of Church and Hate” to the poetry collection “Variations in Blue,” by Adela Najarro. Novelist-playwright Karen Tei Yamashita received a lifetime achievement prize.

Colbert shares his anti-censorship prize with one of the country's top independent booksellers, Mitchell Kaplan, founder of Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida. Longtime Grove/Atlantic publisher Morgan Entrekin, as well as Roger Malina, executive editor of the academic journal Leonardo, received editor/publisher awards.

"The American Book Awards were created to provide recognition for outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s diverse literary community," the foundation's announcement reads in part. “The award winners range from well-known and established writers to under-recognized authors and first works. There are no quotas for diversity; the winners list simply reflects it as a natural process.”

Ukraine’s almost daily long-range drone and missile strikes using domestically developed weapons have battered Russian oil facilities for months. The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin more than four years after Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor.

The overnight attacks started fires at a Lukoil refinery in Russia’s Perm region, more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) from Ukraine, and a refinery in Ryazan, about 400 kilometers (180 miles) from the border, Ukraine’s Security Service and General Staff said in separate statements.

The refineries have a combined annual production capacity of around 220 million barrels of oil, according to Ukraine, and make a vital contribution to Russia's military effort and its government revenue.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claims. Ryazan Gov. Pavel Malkov said only that six people were taken to a hospital after a drone attack. He said drone debris caused fires at unidentified “industrial sites.”

Russian online retailer Wildberries, a major supplier likened to Amazon that Ukraine has targeted in recent days, said it evacuated employees from a facility in Ryazan but provided no further details.

Russia has sophisticated air defenses but its vast territory is hard to comprehensively cover.

The attacks came hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington on Tuesday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump to push for more vital American help for Ukraine’s fight against its much bigger enemy.

“Russia must feel that every day of this war will only come at a higher cost for it. We need to weaken the aggressor and keep up the pressure to bring an end to this war closer,” Zelenskyy said on social media.

Ukraine’s recent high-profile successes against Russia have impressed Washington and helped restore U.S. goodwill after Trump’s reluctance at the start of his second term to keep supporting Kyiv. That stance had raised the specter of Ukraine and Europe having to stand up to Russian aggression alone.

Zelenskyy says he had a good meeting with Trump

Zelenskyy said he had a “good meeting” with the American president, and Trump described the meeting as a “Great Honor.” The talks took place behind closed doors.

“Many things were discussed. The meeting went very well!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Zelenskyy said he also had a meeting in Washington with representatives of both parties in the U.S. Senate, with more than 60 senators in attendance, as Ukraine pushes for more sanctions on Russia. He also met with representatives of Lockheed Martin, days after he welcomed a delegation from Raytheon to Kyiv.

The U.S. weapons manufacturers are a crucial source of sophisticated weaponry, such as Patriot air defense systems, that Ukraine hopes to make itself. Trump said earlier this month he would grant Ukraine licenses to manufacture the Patriots it needs to counter Russia’s ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine is discussing joint production and technology exchange with both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

Ukraine is ready to share its cutting-edge — and battle-tested — drone technology. Its swift technical innovation has paid dividends as it helps pin down Russia’s bigger army on the front line and denies it supplies by hitting rear areas.

That has impressed countries around the world. Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, said during a visit to Ukraine earlier this week: “From reconnaissance and logistics to precision strikes, Ukraine has shown the world how unmanned systems can give smaller forces a decisive edge.”

US envoys to visit Kyiv but no date set

Prospects for a settlement to stop the fighting appear dim, despite a yearlong diplomatic push by the Trump administration.

But U.S. officials also agreed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s main envoys, would make a trip to Kyiv sometime in the future, according to a person familiar with the talks who was granted anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting.

Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, the new commander-in-chief of Ukraine's military, said in a social media post on Wednesday that he had held his first phone conversation with Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of U.S. European Command.

“I outlined my vision of Ukraine’s victory and the capabilities required to achieve it,” said Drapatyi, who was appointed last week as part of a government reshuffle.

“At this stage of the war, we must strengthen operations across multiple domains, prevent enemy infiltration into our defensive lines, and expand both long-range and medium-range precision strikes against the enemy,” he added.

Ukraine says it hits over 200 Russian vessels in 3 weeks

Ukrainian units also have struck 201 Russian vessels over the past three weeks in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, which border both countries, a senior military official said.

The tally doesn’t include vessels hit by Ukraine’s Security Service and other military groups, a Ukrainian military commander who could be identified only by his call sign Magyar, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military, said late Tuesday.

Ukrainian forces also struck a naval base used by Russia’s Black Sea, according to the General Staff.

It reported other strikes on a radar station in Russia’s Bryansk region on the border and on a drone launch site and a road bridge in the occupied part of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday that its air defenses shot down 295 Ukrainian drones overnight above a number of Russian regions and occupied Crimea.

Russian glide bombs struck the northeastern city of Kharkiv and 17 other places in the region of the same name over the previous 24 hours, wounding 11 people, the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said.

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Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

A list of disciplinary cases opened by FIFA against Argentina also include “discriminatory chants and gestures” by fans, alleged assault by an assistant coach after the final and “throwing of objects by spectators in relation to several matches” at the World Cup.

Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes faces three charges of assault in the post-game clashes after Spain’s 1-0 win on July 19, defender Nahuel Molina faces two charges and coach Roberto Ayala one.

Molina and Thiago Almada also are charged with unsporting behavior, with the same charge leveled against Spain player Gavi.

Argentina’s players carried a banner with the slogan “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — “The Malvinas are Argentine” — after beating England 2-1 in the semifinals.

Argentina refers to the Falkland Islands as Islas Malvinas. They were invaded in 1982 under orders from Argentina’s then-military dictatorship, triggering a 10-week war won by Britain.

British government officials urged FIFA to investigate, and the soccer body said Wednesday the formal charge was “using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.”

FIFA said all the people charged “have now been provided with the opportunity to present their position, following which a decision will be issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in due course.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

All seven BTS members — RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook and Jin — shared the same note Wednesday.

“We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” the coordinated message read. “We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us.”

Wednesday’s announcement came just over a month after the Recording Academy announced five new Grammy categories, which include best Asian pop music performance, meant to celebrate releases across K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and beyond.

Some fans viewed the new category as a racialized barrier for Asian performers.

A representative for BTS offered no additional comment.

BTS has never won a Grammy, though they've been nominated for five: three times in the best pop duo/group performance category as well as album of the year (for their contributions to Coldplay's “Music of the Spheres”) and best music video for “Yet to Come.”

In fact, no K-pop act had ever won a Grammy before this year, when “Golden” from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” took home the trophy for best song for visual media. It capped a highly visible night for K-pop at the Grammys — an institution where the genre has long been undercelebrated despite its massive international following.

In March, BTS returned after a nearly four-year musical hiatus. “ARIRANG,” the 14-track, critically acclaimed fifth studio album from the septet, served as both a reintroduction to the band after its members completed South Korea's mandatory military service and as a keen reminder of their place atop popular culture conversation.

Representatives for the Recording Academy did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment.

JSOs says on July 1, a vehicle pulled into a parking space at a church off Philips Highway, dropped a crate containing a dog out of the car and drove off. Three days later, a church employee discovered the animal.

“It was clear the dog had been left without food or water; it was covered in its own feces,” the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.

An animal cruelty exam revealed the dog was extremely malnourished. It is now undergoing extensive recovery.

“There are many options for rehoming dogs, but this is not one of them,” officials said. “We’re actively searching for the person responsible for leaving this dog in this condition.”

Anyone who recognizes the dog, knows who owns the vehicle or has any details that could lead to an arrest is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

Scattered showers with thunderstorms will develop ahead of a slow-moving cold front, arriving during the afternoon and lingering late tonight. The heat indices will reach 110 - 117 degrees.

Strong to isolated severe storms will be possible this afternoon and evening.

The main hazards will be damaging wind, possible flooding due to heavy rainfall and frequent lightning.

The unsettled pattern continues Thursday through the weekend. The increasing cloud cover will help return our temperatures to near normal, maybe even a couple of degrees below normal. The rainfall deficit since January 1 is around 8 inches.

Today: Weather Alert Day starts at 12 p.m. Heat Advisory and an Extreme Heat Watch 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of an approaching cold front. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Lows in the upper 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the mid to upper 90s. Feels Like temperatures 104 - 112 degrees.

Thursday: Not as hot with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly across NE FL, 50-70 percent. Southeast Georgia will see partly cloudy skies with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the 70s to low 80s. Highs in the 90s.

Looking ahead: Rain chances Friday and this weekend. The heat will return to near normal as the waves of showers and storms move through.

Tropics: It’s quiet across the Atlantic basin.

U.S. Biathlon Association's board of directors is set to vote on the plan Wednesday. It began working on the proposal in March after the U.S. again failed to win a biathlon medal at the Winter Olympics, and told members in May.

U.S. Biathlon CEO Jack Gierhart told members that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is cutting 22% of its funding and sponsors are pulling back. That led the board to consider an offer to join USSS, where biathlon would have access to more money and could add athlete services and expose more skiers to biathlon.

“We feel that we can help take biathlon to the next level,” USSS CEO Sophie Goldschmidt told the AP.

But the effort has sparked pushback and ethics complaints from longtime biathletes and supporters, who spoke out during town halls and started an opposition website, saying the board has fast-tracked a plan that threatens the sport’s future. Biathlon would get lost among larger, more popular sports like Alpine skiing, they said. Decisions would be made by people who don’t know the sport and many fear losing financial support for the national team.

“I don’t want to see biathlon disappear into another organization,” said Art Stegen, author of the book, “Unique and Unknown: The Story of Biathlon in the United States.”

Merging Olympic sport organizations is rare. Goldschmidt tried to take over USA Surfing last year but dropped the bid after opposition from members. She's now in talks with USA Skateboarding, she said.

Gierhart said USBA worked carefully to comply with federal law and ensure US Biathlon’s independence while taking advantage of a USSS collaboration.

Opposing opinions on whether merger is a good idea

USSS is a powerhouse in winter sports, overseeing 11 sports and 250 elite athletes, including Alpine ski champion Mikaela Shiffrin and snowboarding superstar Chloe Kim. They have a budget of $70 million and 40,000 members, compared with biathlon's $4 million budget and 1,407 members. Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, has never won an Olympic medal. It's wildly popular in Europe.

Cross-country ski Olympian Kikkan Randall, who's on the USSS board, said the collaboration would benefit both groups.

“There's a recognition of how big biathlon is in Europe. Being able to tap into that popularity and marketability is really intriguing," Randall said.

But some biathletes fear USSS would cut the sport's funding, as it did for U.S. Ski Jumping in 2010 and Nordic Combined in 2014. Longtime biathletes Jon Schafer of Colorado and Marc Sheppard of Montana conducted interviews with people in biathlon and cross-country ski communities and produced an analysis of the merger that concluded working with USSS should be a “last resort.”

“The overwhelming consensus is that everyone is terrified of destroying the long-term future of the organization for possible short-term financial gain," they wrote.

U.S. Biathlon has held town halls, athlete meetings and working groups to discuss the merger. USSS has not reached out to clubs or members but has had board discussions, Goldschmidt said.

Stegen, sports lawyer Ed Williams and Olympian Joan Wilder filed a complaint Friday with the USBA ethics committee against board chair Bob Hall, saying he improperly hosted meetings on the merger without notifying members. They alleged board member Dexter Paine has a conflict of interest because he also sits on the USSS board.

The committee on Monday said “if proven, it appears there is merit to some of the allegations,” but they dismissed the complaints, saying they don’t have authority to remove a board member.

A potential legal obstacle to the plan

Steven Bank, a law professor at University of California, Los Angeles, who specializes in sport law, said USSS has more diversified revenue sources, so it’s not surprising that the USOPC would want biathlon connected to it.

But a federal law could be an obstacle, he said.

Under the 1978 Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, a national governing body, like USSS and U.S. Biathlon, can’t be overseen by multiple international federations. USSS is under the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, while biathlon is under the International Biathlon Union.

The law was created to avoid legal disputes that can arise over things like picking national teams, governing standards and rules, he said.

Biathletes say growth could happen without a merger

Biathlon's funding would stay with its programs. Biathlon's board, which would expand to include USSS representation, would keep making decisions about governing the sport. Biathlon staff would transfer to USSS and biathlon would have two seats on the USSS board.

Biathletes who oppose the plan say there are other ways to grow the sport, pointing to existing programs that already are attracting more skiers.

Gierhart said the alliance could bring in more resources so they can help clubs get equipment and expand existing programs.

“The long-term implications of what this could bring is really profound from a growing-the-sport perspective and pushing support out to the communities and clubs that need it," he said.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE — Martha Bellisle is an amateur biathlete who has won several U.S. national and world championship gold medals in the master’s division. She is a member of the U.S. Biathlon Association.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said he did not have an update on talks.

“You guys know how we feel about Gibbs,” Campbell said.

A message seeking comment was left with Gibbs' agent, Todd France.

“This is both sides working through something,” Campbell said.

The Lions have signed many of their top players to contract extensions, including linebacker Jack Campbell in May.

Gibbs, who has been a Pro Bowl player in each of his first three NFL seasons, seems to be next in line.

His contract calls for him to make a little more than $1 million in base salary with a $2 million-plus roster bonus this season. The Lions picked up the fifth season of Gibbs' contract in April and he is scheduled to make $14.29 million in 2027.

Since Detroit drafted the former Alabama star at No. 12 overall in 2023, he has run for 3,580 yards with 39 touchdowns and has 181 receptions for 1,449 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Gibbs is the one of four players in league history to gain at least 4,500 yards from scrimmage and score 45-plus touchdowns through three seasons, joining Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders, a former Lions star.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

At this hospital though, it's not your vitals that will be examined, but your feelings.

The “Hospital of Emotions” is an immersive art experience that explores different facets of being human inside the long-shuttered St. Vincent Medical Center near downtown Los Angeles.

The former hospital was founded in 1856 by the Daughters of Charity religious order to treat poor people before it went bankrupt in 2020 and was bought by private investors. The site will be redeveloped into a homeless shelter and mental health and drug treatment facility, with the first phase opening later this year.

But until the end of September, the hospital rooms are filled with 80 installations by 70 artists. Each artist received around $14,000 to transform four floors of clinical space into explorations of feelings around everything from medical and family trauma to grief over climate change and immigration detention centers.

Sterile hospital spaces are turned into colorful art installations

The project was created in the spirit of Meow Wolf and other for-profit amusement centers that approach art as entertainment.

As in Pixar's “Inside Out,” color-coded creatures sprinkled throughout the show personify a range of emotions from joy and hope to anger and sadness. A fuzzy orange monster winks from behind a nurse’s station, while dueling green giants symbolizing jealousy face off in an otherwise normal exam room, their faces decorated with absurd, clownlike expressions.

IV bags are full of rainbow-colored liquids, overhead exam lights are festooned with a canopy of artificial flowers, and crutches are draped with campy, cartoonish wigs.

Enter the “Resilience Department” and you’ll find a prismatic, glass butterfly that refracts light, accompanied by an unsettling interactive audio piece about an artist’s experience having an epileptic seizure. The sound of grunts and labored breathing in headphones contrasts with screams, recorded and replayed in the room to create a surreal, out-of-body effect.

In the neighboring room, a thousand sunny-side up eggs are splayed all over the bed, walls and floor, which the artist, Melan Allen, said represent the eggs she was forced to eat during her childhood despite hating them. The room especially resonated with Sharon Maxwell, who drove from San Diego to see the show.

“I have lots of egg stories,” she said. “I’m in recovery from an eating disorder, so I’ve been in treatment, I’ve been in hospitals. It’s all very sterile.”

While going to the hospital can be an isolating experience, Maxwell said visiting an art show in one made her feel a renewed sense of connection. There aren't nurses, surgeons or patients here, and everyone is on equal footing as viewers.

“Being the person in the bed, being treated for mental health stuff, you’re kind of like a spectacle,” she said.

A sensitive look at anxiety, fear and trauma

In the “Fear Department,” a virtual character based off a real person gives a vulnerable speech about post-traumatic stress from serving in a combat zone and then reads a suicide note that combines multiple veterans' experiences using AI. The installation is titled “The Ward That Never Closed.”

___

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

___

Down the hall, another room is covered floor to ceiling in black-and-white portraits drawn with frenetic lines by an artist who spent 15 months at a U.S. immigration detention center.

“I left Russia in 2022 because of my political views and because I am gay. What I thought would be a search for safety became a prolonged encounter with fear,” Grisha Stepanian said.

His installation examines “how fear settles into the body, how it stays, even when there is no immediate danger. How safety, when it appears, feels temporary, almost unreal.”

The most successful rooms play with the visual language of a medical space without prescribing what to feel.

In another room in the “Fear Department,” artist Dongpu Ling created an eerie installation of transparent figurines — molded from packing tape — to bring a vision of her grandfather's to life. He died years ago in Shanghai, where he described seeing ghosts around his hospital bed just before dying.

Torqued into myriad positions, the blank-faced figures occupy gurneys and disappear into institutional-gray ceiling vents. The work was also informed by Ling's experience as a child spending 10 days in the hospital with a fever.

“I almost died. I couldn't eat,” she said. “I threw up blood three times a night.”

The process of creating the installation was intense, Ling said. When she tried to go to her studio room and accidentally went to the basement, where bodies are typically stored before going to funeral homes, she said she found something chilling: “It was freezing cold and dead silent.”

Recognizing a paradox of emotions

Ondrea Boggs, an ultrasound tech, said the installations reminded her of people’s tenacity and resilience even in the face of death — something she witnessed working in an intensive care unit and emergency room.

“I’m confronted with people struggling every day and getting through and being strong,” she said.

Boggs is moved when she sees a patient or their family able to stay hopeful during a difficult time.

“It’s encouraging for me to remember that that’s possible,” she said. “Even amongst moments of sadness you can still experience joy, it’s not like an isolated experience where you have to get through the sadness to experience joy, right? Both can be shared at the same time and both can be honored.”

For other visitors, the installations also reflected that paradox of emotions.

“There’s solace in someone else seeing our emotion — whether it’s joy and celebration or sorrow and pain. There’s something about the human experience where we need to be seen,” Maxwell said. “This art exhibit really shows that in a profound way. I think it put humanity on display in a really powerful way.”

The recall was initiated July 14 by manufacturer Rohto-Mentholatum (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. The recall covers products distributed nationwide by The Mentholatum Company.

The FDA assigned the action a Class II classification, meaning the products may cause temporary or reversible adverse health consequences, or the probability of serious harm is considered remote.

Why the products were recalled

The reason cited across all eight recalled products is a “lack of assurance of sterility.” Eye drop products are required to be sterile because they are applied directly to the eye.

Which products are affected

Eight distinct Rohto Cooling Eye Drop products are included in the recall, spanning multiple formulations and lot numbers.

Click here to see the list.

What consumers should do

Anyone who has purchased a Rohto Cooling Eye Drop product should check the UPC number and lot number on their package against the FDA’s recall list. Expiration dates on affected lots range from July 2026 through February 2029, meaning many products currently in homes and on store shelves may be impacted.

Consumers should stop using any recalled product immediately. The FDA recommends contacting the recalling firm or a healthcare provider with any questions. Those who have experienced adverse effects after using these products are encouraged to report them through the FDA’s MedWatch program at fda.gov/safety/medwatch or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Dean Black

Occupation: Small business owner and rancher

Age: 60

Family: Married to Kim Black for 28 years, five grown children, 6 grandchildren

Education: Bachelor of Arts

Political Science

University of Mississippi

1988

Political experience: Member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2022

State Committeeman for Duval County, Republican Party of Florida, 2024 to present

Former Chairman, Republican Party of Duval County, 2018-2024

Former Vice Chairman, Republican Party of Duval County, 2018

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The main issue is affordability. People are getting further and further behind. We can address this by reducing the tax burden, continuing to work to reduce insurance costs, and by reducing regulatory burdens in order to bring housing costs down.

Public Safety is another important issue. We must support our police departments and firefighters. Public safety must always come first!

Growth management is another critical issue, particularly in our area. We must make sure we are developing infrastructure while protecting our critical environment. We must protect woodlands and ensure our waterways and aquifers are clean and our air is pure. We cannot allow growth to destroy the beauty and quality of life that leads people to want to move here in the first place.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

As a small businessman, I know how important customer service is. I know how to help constituents and so does our excellent staff. We are committed to service. With four years as a State Representative, I have learned how to lead, how to navigate Tallahassee when a citizen needs us to help them, and how to advocate for our local needs at the highest levels. As an eighth generation resident of North Florida, I know our area well. I am deeply committed to knowing what we need, and advocating to get those needs met!

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would like to be remembered as someone who listened and cared and had vision who was led by Faith. We have accomplished much in the area of Alzheimer’s treatment, Blood Clot awareness and treatment, bringing key appropriations projects to our area, and working to protect our quality of life. My children and grandchildren live here too. I want their safety and quality of life, and everyone else’s, to be our greatest accomplishment.

Campaign website: votedeanblack.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | X

NO PARTY AFFILIATION CANDIDATE

Chadd Charland

Occupation: Freelance arts and culture writer, podcaster, small business owner

Age: 51

Family: Married, no kids

Education: Journalism degree from Auburn University

Political experience: This is my first time running for office. I felt compelled to give people a choice after learning the incumbent was running unopposed.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Preventing large data center construction in Florida. I helped lead an effort in Nassau County to enact a data center moratorium and intend to take the lessons learned there to the state level, increasing regulations and restrictions on large scale data center construction.

Slowing sprawl and overdevelopment. Rural areas in northeast Florida are being crushed by unwanted sprawl. State government has promoted this proliferation and could reel it back through regulation and a return to home rule.

Public education. I support public money for public schools only. Vouchers are welfare for wealthy people. Parents should be able to send their kids to whatever school they want, but public money should be spent only on public schools.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I will advocate for working class people because I am a working class person. My opponent is a millionaire, heavily supported by corporate political action committees, doing the work of corporate donors, not voters. I will fight for working class interests - affordability, public education, clean air and water - for the people of Nassau and Duval counties, against the powerful and corporations who have bought our state government.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Stopping the spread of data centers in Florida.

Campaign website: charlandforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

A write-in candidate, Lloyd Caulker, qualified for the general election. The names of write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot, though there will be a line for a write-in.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Audrey Gibson

Occupation: Consultant

Age: (No response)

Family: 3 adult children with families

Education: Bachelor’s- Criminology-Florida State University Master’s -Public Administration University of North Florida

Political experience: The Florida Legislature

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

An increase in senior migration to Florida is already underway we need to be looking now at data and locale destination and how to close the shortage of nurses that currently exists given we have a nursing and healthcare providers shortage. Property insurance rates. My Safe Florida Home could potentially be expanded by changing criteria to make more homeowners eligible thus reducing claims exposure.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

First, I care about the everyday lives of individuals and families and have deep community engagement, doing “field trips” visiting schools, nursing homes, senior centers, workplaces, factories, neighborhood meetings, to go to ‘see about’ needs and concerns and the best manner to address ways to mitigate improvement and outcomes. I have been continually engaged in the needs of community and activism from saving libraries and trees to saving to continues before ever being elected and have continued to due so.

I have strategic processes, including reading bills, analyses, and other methods to bring about new ideas or cure wrongs. I know the appropriation process and how bring home funds for community needs understanding the total combined processes, and engaging with colleagues particularly if they have what I call similarly situated districts.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

All the things mentioned above to include improving health outcomes for the African community whose population most often has higher rates of occurrence of health issues and less early access to address to them. equity and opportunity and connected rail that I believe will help create it. I love Amtrak too for longer trips.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Leslie Jean-Bart

Occupation: Attorney

Age: 53

Family: I have been married to Rodney for 26 years. We have a daughter who is 22 years old and enrolled at Florida International University.

Education: 1994 - B.S. in Biology with minor in Chemistry from the University of Miami

1997 - J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law

Political experience: I have not previously held office.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Affordability and Economic Opportunity

Floridians are working harder than ever, but too many still can’t afford housing, insurance, groceries, childcare, or healthcare. I’ll focus on lowering the cost of living, supporting good-paying jobs, strengthening small businesses, and making sure economic growth benefits working families—not just the well-connected.

2. Healthcare Access and Affordability

Healthcare should never be a luxury. I’ll fight to expand access to affordable healthcare, improve maternal and mental health services, increase access to dental care and preventive care, and make sure working families can get the care they need before small problems become medical emergencies.

3. Education and Preparing Florida’s Future

Every child deserves a quality education regardless of their ZIP code. That starts with early childhood education, continues through strong public schools, supporting teachers, and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow through workforce development and technology education.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I have nearly 30 years of experience as a civil rights and personal injury attorney helping everyday people with a crisis they have experienced. I have a track record of finding solutions to problems. I focus on results and how we can improve our communities.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope people remember me as someone focused on positive change in the community. I would like for others to be able to look back and say “District 13 is better as a result of Leslie’s representation.”

Campaign website: www.voteforleslie.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

A write-in candidate, Brice Gaillard, qualified for the general election. The names of write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot, though there will be a line for a write-in.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson

Occupation: Owner of Rum 138, LLC

Reacreational tourism, fine art gallery, and

Age: 61, at the end of this month

Family: Merrillee is married to Doug Jipson. Her one and only husband. Married since 1999.

They have two adult children, Merrill and Verlyn. Merrillee was born in Milwaukee, WI; lived in Montana; and has lived in Florida since 1976. Merrillee graduated from Coral Springs High School in 1983. Tampa, Sarasota, South Miami Beach, Everglades City, and Fort White. She and her immediate family have lived on the same property here in Fort White since 2002.

We live nestled into a wetland forest next to the highest concentration of freshwater springs on the planet on the Santa Fe River. The youngest child was born here, at home in a waterbirth.

Education: Corla Springs High School, 1983

A.A. University of South Florida, 1985

B.F.A. Ringling Art College, 1991

Political experience: Please review Merrillee.com website for more on background.

Merrillee had run this District 10 seat in 2018, as a NPA. Today in 2026, she is running as a registered Democrat. Merrillee was a registered lobbyist while working for Sierra Club, Florida, as a Red Tide Campaign Organizer working on statewide issues associated with nutrient loading in freshwater natural systems from land use applications.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Clean and healthy Water, Air, and Land

2. Affordable Healthcare for all

3. Public Education resiliency and representing each living community.

Merrillee’s Platform is on her website.

Addressing these issues requires public outreach to all communities in District 10 and North Florida.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

Merrillee is the only Candidate who has already been attending local government, state agency, and Legislative meetings and hearings for nearly two decades. She relates to and understands political processes and how to get things done within these important Home Rule and statewide legal structures found in Florida Statutes and other products of Florida’s regulatory, licensing, and permitting rules.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Managing wastewater and freshwater needs for a healthy Florida future, for all.

Campaign website: merrillee.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Chase Brannan

Occupation: Small business owner in residential real estate and property management.

Age: 32

Family: Eighth-generation Floridian, born and raised in Baker County; son of Chuck Brannan, a former Baker County sheriff’s deputy and Chief of Investigations, and the late Kim Brannan, a longtime educator and principal of Westside Elementary School.

Education: Associate of Arts, magna cum laude, Florida Gateway College; Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Communication and a minor in Sales and Management in Agribusiness, University of Florida.

Political experience: Former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Rural Coordination at the Florida Department of Financial Services under CFO Jimmy Patronis; former statewide Political Director for Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis’ 2022 Re-election campaign; former Regional Field Director for Governor Ron DeSantis’ 2022 Re-election campaign; former Federal Affairs Coordinator in the Executive Office of the Governor; former Florida Gubernatorial Fellow under Governor Ron DeSantis at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The top three issues are addressing the cost of living, protecting North Florida’s way of life, and ensuring our communities have the resources and opportunities they need.

First, I will deliver meaningful property tax relief while ensuring our communities have the resources to stay safe and prosperous, keep taxes low, control government spending, and address rising costs for families, homeowners, and small businesses without shifting the burden to rural counties.

Second, I will protect our farmers, ranchers, timberland owners, private property rights, water, and springs. I support smart growth, not out-of-control development, and will oppose projects such as hyper scale data centers or the discharge of Jacksonville’s treated wastewater into our region when they threaten our natural resources and rural communities.

Third, I will fight for better roads, strong public safety funding, and expanded workforce and technical education. That includes securing much-needed wage increases for correctional officers, improving recruitment and retention, and addressing aging correctional facilities that are deteriorating, becoming increasingly costly, and unsafe. Our students should also have access to training in fields such as welding, health care, HVAC, agriculture, and commercial driving so they can find good-paying jobs and build their futures here at home.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I offer deep local roots, state government experience, budget expertise, and a record of building relationships that deliver results. I am an eighth-generation Floridian, born and raised in this district. I grew up raising livestock, participating in 4-H and FFA, and learning the importance of agriculture, hard work, and personal responsibility. As someone born profoundly deaf and who relies on the use of cochlear implants, I also understand the importance of perseverance and ensuring every person has the opportunity to succeed.

At the University of Florida, I served on the Student Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, helping review a budget of more than $20 million. In state government, I worked with elected officials, law enforcement, firefighters, businesses, and community leaders throughout Florida. I understand how Tallahassee and state agencies operate, how to build the relationships needed to move issues forward, and how to ensure rural communities receive the attention and resources they deserve.

I am also a small-business owner and remain involved with Florida Farm Bureau, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, the Florida Forestry Association, the NRA, and the Macclenny Lions Club. These experiences keep me connected to the taxpayers, property owners, farmers, and working families I would represent. I will be accessible, return calls, listen to every side, and use common sense rather than political talking points. My goal is to combine local values with the experience needed to deliver results from the first day in office.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered for giving North Florida a strong, effective voice in Tallahassee and for delivering real results to the people, cities, and counties of this district. I want to deliver meaningful property tax relief, protect our farmers, ranchers, timberland owners, rural communities, water, and springs, and ensure local governments have the resources they need for roads, public safety, and essential services.

I also want to strengthen our economy by supporting small businesses, creating good-paying jobs, expanding workforce and technical education, cutting unnecessary regulation, and keeping Florida fiscally responsible. Government should live within its means, respect taxpayers, and create an environment where families and businesses can succeed.

Most of all, I hope people remember that I stayed accessible, listened to the district, and never forgot where I came from. I want to be known for building relationships, working with people across the state, and using common sense to solve problems. My goal is to leave North Florida stronger, more affordable, and better prepared for the next generation, while protecting the values and way of life that make this part of Florida special.

Campaign website: chaseforfl.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Marshall Rawson

Occupation: Full Time -- Florida Citrus Grower

Part Time -- Officer in the Florida Guard

Age: 34

Family: Married to Megan

Father to Marion, Reese, Clayton, Georgiana, Hampton

Education: Jacksonville University, BS in History 18′ / University of Florida, Juris Doctor 23′

Political experience: 15-years of conservative advocacy

Regional Director of the Republican Liberty Caucus

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Overdevelopment -- (1) Stop the state preemption that has accelerated the loss of vital Agricultural and ecologically important areas. (2) Maximum funding for our Rural and Family Protection Program that will protect our food security and give land use balance to the State of Florida (3) An environmental standard that looks to our aquifer to determine if Florida’s carry capacity can continue to take in 1000 plus new residence everyday. We must keep Florida great for all of those who currently here, we cannot afford to make it Hell for everyone who is here. We must use the police powers vested to us in the U.S. Constitution to do so.

Immigration -- Utilize our 287g program to deputize local law enforcement and The Guard to make arrest on illegal immigrants that our here. We don’t need to wait around to see if those who are here illegally will commit a second and even more egregious crime.

Property Tax Reform -- With 1000+ people moving to Florida daily assessed values on real property continue to climb and local government continues to squeeze local residents through greater taxation to pay for it. Floridians need immediate property tax relief.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I am not financed by Tallahassee interest which means that my allegiance unlike my competition is not stretched a million ways.

I have been an advocate of 15-years on the tough issues which gives me the unmatched experience and the fortitude to advocate.

My Law Degree from the University of Florida gives me insite which gives me a strong edge when it comes to law making and makes me a more effective advocate.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Defending Life and Liberty

and for reversing what seemed to be the inevitable decline of ole Florida.

Campaign website: www.marshallrawsoncampaign.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to climb above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. The heat wave and forecast winds could hamper progress against the blaze that has forced 220,000 people from their homes, authorities for the Gironde region around Bordeaux said.

Two firefighters died Wednesday while battling a wildfire in the Rethymno region of Crete, Greece’s fire department said. They were among about 125 firefighters confronting flames fanned by strong winds, with four helicopters and four water-dropping planes deployed.

In neighboring Spain, people are bracing for the fourth heat wave of the summer, with several blazes still burning out of control.

Across France and Spain, roughly 330,000 people have been driven from homes and vacation sites by huge wildfires.

Here's the latest:

Evacuees in Spain worry about wildfire’s economic impact as they return home to destruction

A wildfire now under control near Spain’s capital, Madrid, was one of the worst the area has ever seen, taking a hit to small businesses in villages and towns in the region.

Evacuees have now been allowed to return to their homes and businesses — some of whom are taking in the destruction left by the blaze.

The Monasterio Camping site — which offered tent sites, static caravans and bungalows for visitors — was severely affected by the wildfires.

“Economically, it’s a disaster, especially during this time, as it’s the peak season,” said manager Esteban Carrasco.

In the village of Pelayos de la Presa, the mayor is worried about the impact the fire will have on tourism. The village near the San Juan reservoir offers a green escape about an hour outside the capital.

Mayor Antonio Sin said he hoped authorities would “make a serious plan, based on a careful study of what we need to do, so that first, we restore it to its former state or make it even more beautiful, and second, to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

‘Apocalypse’ on land, and for businesses

The head of the local chamber of commerce in the Bordeaux region says callers who dialed in to telephone helplines have at times cried over the loss of their homes or appealed for support after losing their businesses.

“It’s a physical apocalypse when you see all these sites where there’s nothing left aside from burnt homes and forests, and then there’s the economic apocalypse,” said Patrick Seguin, his voice choking with emotion in a phone interview.

He particularly lamented the ordeal faced by residents of Le Porge, a village where 183 homes were lost: “It was like a village in Ukraine that has been bombed. There’s nothing left.”

Two firefighters die in wildfire on southern Greek island of Crete

Two firefighters have died in a wildfire that broke out Wednesday on the southern Greek island of Crete, the fire department said.

The two were among more than 150 firefighters battling a wildfire in the region of Rethymno in Crete that broke out Wednesday afternoon.

“They fell heroically in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of citizens and the natural environment,” the department said in a written statement.

The flames were being fanned by strong winds in the area, which was hampering firefighting efforts. Four helicopters and four water-dropping planes were also deployed, the fire department said.

Evacuation orders were issued for several areas near the fire.

The circumstances of the two deaths were not immediately clear.

Local media said initial reports indicated that the two were trapped in their vehicle after becoming disoriented by the smoke.

Greece’s coast guard said two coast guard patrol boats and private vessels were on standby should an evacuation by sea become necessary in the Rethymno fire.

Spanish authorities say Madrid region and Ávila wildfires under control, and lift more evacuation orders

By Wednesday afternoon, firefighters had stabilized forest fires burning in the Madrid region and province of Ávila, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said.

Authorities lifted all evacuation orders in Ávila and in additional villages affected in the Madrid region.

Together, the two fires burned about 700 square kilometers (270 square miles) — an area slightly larger than Chicago.

Despite the positive development, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged caution as much of the country was baking under a fourth heatwave that began Wednesday.

Firefighters continued to battle a large wildfire in Castellón in eastern Spain.

Hottest day this week in France

Extreme heat strips moisture from vegetation and drives down humidity, turning grasses, brush and forest litter into faster-burning fuel.

Météo-France said Wednesday would be the hottest and driest day of the week, with elevated wildfire danger across every region of France. Drought now covers mainland France and Corsica, with soils nearing the record dryness reached in August 2022.

Smoke from the Gironde and Landes fires also pushed particulate pollution higher across both departments, regional air-quality monitors said.

Gironde authorities ordered 4,000 more people out of tourist sites along the Atlantic coast on Tuesday, widening what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation.

“The situation remains complicated. That’s clear. We’re not out of the woods,” said Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas, who also authorized 60,000 evacuees to return to three Bordeaux suburbs untouched by fire.

The opposing movements — thousands ordered out of coastal resorts as others returned with mobile phones on and emergency bags packed — captured how precarious the situation remains.

Turkish wildfire triggers evacuation

Turkish authorities have evacuated around 200 residents and a state hospital as a preventive measure, as the wildfire in southwest Turkey continues to rage.

Ahmet Aras, the mayor of Mugla province, says strong winds are hampering efforts to bring the fire under control. Earlier, the blaze forced the closure of a highway in the region.

Firefighters were also tackling wildfires in other parts of the country, including in the neighboring province of Antalya where a number of holiday homes were evacuated as a protective step, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Belgium sends planes, soldiers and firefighters to France to battle blaze

Belgium is deploying military staff and hardware to fight fires in France, the country’s defense minister said on Wednesday.

“Our military personnel have the expertise and resources necessary to support the fight against forest fires and thus help protect human lives, homes, and precious natural areas,” said Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken, who posted videos online of 2 Panther firetrucks being loaded onto an A400M military cargo plane for transport to France.

As the pair of firetrucks take to the sky, a convoy of 9 water trucks with 10,000-liter tanks will drive to support France’s efforts to battle blazes. A total of 29 military personnel will be deployed to France for at least two weeks of round-the-clock rotational duty.

“When a friendly country faces a crisis of this magnitude, we don’t respond with words, but with actions,” Francken said.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said on social media that “in these difficult times, our French neighbors can count on our solidarity.”

UK authorities declare drought in about half of England

Britain’s Environment Agency said on Wednesday that about half of England is now experiencing a drought as the country entered its fourth heat wave of the year.

Parts of central, eastern, and southern England are facing drought conditions, which came on quickly due to a combination of very low rainfall and high temperatures.

“Rivers are running low, farmers are having to harvest crops early, wildfire risk is increasing, and millions of people are living under restrictions on water use,’’ the agency said in a statement.

This is England’s second drought in a row and the third in the past five years as Britain’s climate changes, the agency said.

England has now entered its fourth heat wave of the year. That, combined with July rainfall that has been 1% of normal in southern England, means that water storage is being depleted and there is “no substantial rain on the way,” the agency said.

Wildfire on Greek island sparks evacuations

In Greece, firefighters were tackling several wildfires around the country, with the most serious being one that broke out Tuesday on the Aegean island of Paros.

Authorities urged people to evacuate from around 10 areas on the island – five on Tuesday and another five during the night, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Reinforcements of firefighting teams specialising in forest fires were sent from Athens, and two water-dropping planes and five helicopters were helping nearly 90 firefighters battling the flames on the ground, the fire department said.

Bordeaux winemaker says mega-fire will be bad for business

The Grand Verdus wine chateau near Bordeaux isn’t in the path of the monster fire, but it is bracing for the economic impact.

Edouard le Grix de la Salle, who runs the family business with his brother, is alarmed that France’s interior minister and other government authorities have urged people to avoid the Bordeaux region because of the blaze west of the historic city. August is a peak period for tourism in southwest France.

“It’s incredible that they’ve said such a thing, especially when wine tourism is becoming more and more important,” Grix de la Salle said in an Associated Press interview. “How did they not think about protecting that sector? And the cultural sector too—there’s so much to visit in Bordeaux. There are so many museums, there are châteaux. It’s unbelievable.”

Wildfire shuts down highway in Turkey

A wildfire in southwest Turkey has forced authorities to temporarily shut down a highway from the popular tourist hub of Fethiye to the city of Antalya.

The blaze began in an agricultural area in Mugla province on Wednesday before spreading into a nearby forest area, driven by strong winds.

Five airplanes, 11 helicopters, 40 fire trucks and hundreds of personnel were dispatched to extinguish the fire, the Mugla governor’s office said.

The statement called on motorists to use alternative routes and not to block emergency lanes.

Thousands of evacuees in Spain set to return home as Castellón blaze challenges firefighters

Tens of thousands of evacuees in central Spain were expected to return home starting Wednesday after firefighters made progress with blazes burning in the Madrid region and Ávila.

Authorities began lifting evacuation orders on several towns in the Madrid region late Tuesday, allowing some 20,000 people to return to their homes, along with 14,000 people who had been under shelter-at-home orders, according to Francisco Martín, the Madrid region’s central government representative.

Some villages in Ávila, which was battling the biggest fire in the history of Spain, were also expected to be allowed to go back to their homes. Authorities were expected to provide more details Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 10,000 people were still under evacuation orders due to a wildfire in Castellón in eastern Spain that authorities said was still not under control.

Spain braces for another heatwave as it battles fires

Spain’s weather agency AEMET is warning that the risk of wildfires remains very high or extreme across much of the country.

Back-to-back heatwaves have suffocated Spain this summer, with temperatures repeatedly exceeding 40 Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

The fresh heatwave was expected to mainly affect the northeast and parts of central Spain, while temperatures were pushing 40 Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several inland areas in the normally hot, southern Andalusia region.

As heat wave stretches across Europe, UK health officials warn of risks

Temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) in eastern England on Wednesday, pushing parts of the country into its fourth heat wave of the year, according to the UK Met Office.

The U.K. Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health advisory for London and southeast England, warning of increased risk to older people and the very young that may strain health and social care providers.

Temperatures are expected to drop on Thursday, with forecast highs around 27 degrees C (81 degrees Fahrenheit), the Met Office said.

This spring was the warmest ever recorded in England, and temperatures remained well above normal in June and July, the Met Office said earlier this month. The average mean temperature in England was 2.4 degrees (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) above average between June 1 and July 15, the agency said.

French firefighters’ battle plan is “we strike quickly and strike hard”

So says Matthieu Jomain, a commander in the massive effort to contain the mega-blaze in southwest France that’s burned through an area four times the size of Paris.

Speaking Wednesday, Jomain said the blaze burning since last week isn’t growing any more but still isn’t beaten. A heat wave that will further dry out already arid forests and scrubland is heightening the risk of flames flaring again. Fire crews are bracing for forecast temperatures above 40 C (104 F).

“More than 2,200 firefighters are still deployed,” he said. “Almost all of France’s firefighters are there. Our European counterparts have come to lend us a hand on the ground and in the air. We have a fleet of over twenty aircraft.”

“The strategy remains the same. We strike quickly and strike hard at any new smoke emissions.”

How to keep the air inside your home clean during wildfires

Wildfire smoke can settle over cities for days — like the recent blanket over parts of the U.S. from burning fires in Canada, which has created hazardous air for millions of people across multiple states.

Health officials advise people to stay indoors — and to take steps to keep the air in your home clean:

1. If you have central air conditioning, it should clean the air in your home. Make sure filters are replaced on schedule and are of the highest level of filtration your system can handle.

2. If you buy a portable air filter, look for a HEPA air filter or one that says it traps small particles of pollution. Ensure it does not generate ozone, another harmful air pollutant.

3. Whether it’s a towel, some tape, or something else — plug areas where air could enter from outside.

4. Exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to shortness of breath, chest tightness, headaches, and a burning sensation in the nose and eyes. If you’re wheezing, can’t catch your breath or are in distress, get to the emergency room immediately.

Survivors face an uncertain future

For the hundreds of thousands of evacuees, the question is the same: What will they find when they’re finally allowed to go home, or to what’s left of it?

With no word on when she’ll be able to return home, Elvira Menéndez will spend her third night on Sunday at the makeshift shelter set up in a sports complex in Villaviciosa de Odón, a 40-minute drive from the home she was forced to leave as the blaze neared.

On Friday afternoon, two major fires near Madrid merged into a single blaze. It later combined with another that was already burning in Ávila, north of the capital. This forced the government to declare a national fire emergency for the first time. Since then, the flames have also spread to Toledo, a province southwest. In all, the flames have scorched 77,000 hectares in the central part of the country alone.

Menéndez’s anguish was shared by Rocío Domínguez, who fled her house with only the clothes on her back. “All the clothes, all the memories, everything, everything, everything,” were left behind, she told The Associated Press.

French wildfire created a monster cloud, unleashing lightning that ignited more fires

France’s wildfire grew so powerful that its smoke column became a thunderstorm, generating lightning that struck the ground and ignited new fires beyond the original blaze, French officials said.

Put another way, that means the inferno was no longer simply being propelled by the weather. It was making its own. The thundercloud also produced violent, erratic winds capable of driving the flames in new directions.

The phenomenon, called a pyrocumulonimbus, or pyroCb, is rare in Europe and more commonly documented in North America and Australia, where it occurs only over some of the most extreme fires. France’s national firefighters federation said it had never before recorded one in the country.

At about 6:20 p.m. Friday, two days after the fire began, the departmental fire and rescue service said it had generated a pyrocumulonimbus. The cloud weakened overnight as humidity rose, then formed several times again.

Repeatedly, heat and smoke have surged upward into a vast black thundercloud, electrified and lit from within.

A 2:47 a.m. alert, a rabbit and 220,000 evacuees as France’s wildfire rages on

Europe is experiencing one of its biggest evacuations since World War II. Among the more than 220,000 people told to flee are Morgane Bonichot, her 9-year-old daughter and their pets.

Her daughter was in the blaze’s epicenter when it ignited last week, staying with an uncle in the midst of the pine forests, scrub and farmland being consumed by an inferno so virulent that it has morphed at times into a self-feeding firestorm, spitting lightning bolts that have sparked yet more flames.

Among the fire’s first evacuees, the daughter came home Friday. But with the flames spreading closer to her mother’s house west of Bordeaux, the daughter began preparing to flee again.

All told, regional authorities have emptied two dozen towns and villages, some ravaged by fire. Others between the blaze and Bordeaux, including Saint-Jean-d’Illac, were evacuated as a precaution by government officials who say their priority is making sure that no lives are lost.

Wildfires are more extreme in Europe and North America, but global burning is oddly decreasing

As wildfires in Europe and North America grow more extreme, key worldwide burning statistics are at a record low largely because Africa and Asia are controlling fire more.

Experts say these seemingly opposite trends are happening at the same time because of what humanity is doing to the planet.

Spain’s wildfire is that country’s largest on record at more than 193 square miles (500 square kilometers), while wildfires in Europe have burned just a bit under 2025’s all-time high. In Canada and the United States this summer, land burned by wildfires is at least 25% higher than the 10-year average and more than double what it was decades ago, according to national wildfire centers.

And yet the world went into July this year with record low global emissions from burning fires, a key measure of their prevalence, the European climate center Copernicus reported. That is because fires in Africa and Asia are way down due to changing agricultural practices, fire management and where people are moving to, said Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at Copernicus.

A heat wave threatens to reignite France’s mega-fire near Bordeaux

Fire crews battled a mega-fire four times the size of Paris in southwest France while facing tinderbox temperatures forecast to climb above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

The heat wave and forecast winds could hamper progress against the blaze that has forced 220,000 people from their homes, authorities for the Gironde region around Bordeaux said.

In a Wednesday morning update on the huge firefighting effort, Gironde authorities said the situation overnight had been “calm” and that the blaze hadn’t spread — although it’s still not contained a week after it started.

The onset of heat-wave temperatures and winds heightened the risk of flames flaring again.

On Tuesday, Gironde authorities ordered 4,000 more people evacuated from tourist sites along the Atlantic coast, widening what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Earle Ford

Occupation: US Army Infantry (Airborne) - Veteran

Attorney / Former IRS (Estate and Gift Tax Specialist) - Specialized in the examination of complex trusts and estates of high net worth individuals.

Age: 40

Family: Married to my wife of 7 Years.

Have two children 4 & 2.

Education: B.A. - University of Wyoming

J.D. - Barry Law School

Political experience: N/A

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. The Property Insurance Affordability Crisis

We cannot have a sustainable state economy if working families and seniors are being priced out of their homes by skyrocketing insurance premiums. The current administration has handed out bailouts to insurance companies while shifting the burden entirely onto homeowners, and that is unacceptable.

The Plan: My office will treat the Department of Financial Services as a genuine consumer protection agency. We will demand absolute transparency in how insurance rates are justified and approved. If an insurance company wants to operate in Florida, they must pay legitimate claims promptly and fairly. We will aggressively investigate executives who profit while shortchanging policyholders, and we will hold carriers accountable to ensure consumers get the protection they actually paid for.

2. Corporate Fraud and Consumer Exploitation

A fair economy requires a level playing field, but right now, the rules only seem to apply to those who can’t afford lobbyists. From predatory lending practices to utility monopolies hiking rates, consumers are left to fend for themselves against massive corporate power.

The Plan: I will bring a zero-tolerance approach to corporate corruption. We will expand and empower our consumer advocacy divisions to aggressively investigate wage theft, financial scams, and predatory practices that disproportionately target our seniors and marginalized communities. By strictly enforcing the law against bad actors, we not only protect vulnerable Floridians but also support the honest, high-road local businesses that play by the rules.

3. Transparency in State Contracting and Investments

Billions of taxpayer dollars flow through Tallahassee, and the public has a right to know exactly where their money is going. Right now, there is too much darkness in state contracting, which invites cronyism and rewards political favors over public benefit.

The Plan: We will open the books. I will implement strict, accessible transparency measures so every Floridian can see how state funds are being allocated. Furthermore, as a steward of the state’s investments, I will ensure we are investing responsibly—prioritizing projects that build real community resilience, such as sustainable infrastructure to combat climate change, rather than using our financial leverage for political theater or to enrich well-connected insiders.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

What sets me apart is the hard-earned expertise to actually execute this vision. You cannot root out systemic corruption if you do not know how the system is manipulated in the first place.

Following the Money: At the IRS, I handled complex financial cases exceeding $500 million. I know exactly how to audit complex entities and structures in order to find how money has moved and how they exploit loopholes. I have the forensic expertise to track the money—meaning when we take on those who try to beat the system, I already know their playbook.

Enforcing Accountability: As an attorney, I do not rely on high-priced consultants to tell me if an insurance rate hike is legally hollow. I dissect the fine print myself to ensure we have the solid legal foundation needed to hold bad actors fully accountable.

Mission-Driven Leadership: My military service instilled a simple ethos: complete the mission and leave no one behind. I bring a soldier’s discipline to protecting everyday Floridians, and I will not back down when the fights against special interests get tough.

As someone who has been in the workforce for the last two decades with real jobs, insulated from what the political arena has become. Any politician can promise to fight for consumers, but as someone who has lived in reality like so many other Floridians, I have the forensic, legal, and experience to deliver for voters.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

My commitment to public service and to the people of this beautiful State

Campaign website: EarleforCFO.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | X

Annette Taddeo

Occupation: Small Business Owner.

Age: 59

Family: My immediate family includes my husband, Eric, our daughter, Sofia, my mom Elizabeth and our dogs Snow and Mocha.

Education: University of North Alabama - Bachelor’s Degree.

Dartmouth Tuck School of Business - Executive Education.

Political experience: 2017 Florida Senate District 40.

2018 Florida Senate District 40 (Reelected).

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The three biggest issues in this race are: Affordability, Accountability, and Anti-Corruption.

Affordability: Florida families are being crushed by rising insurance costs and broader affordability challenges. As CFO, I will hold insurance companies accountable, increase oversight, demand transparency in rate-setting and claims practices, and fight to ensure consumers are treated fairly.

Accountability: Floridians deserve an independent watchdog protecting taxpayers, not a rubber stamp for any administration. I will ask tough questions, scrutinize government spending, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and transparently.

Anti-Corruption: Tallahassee’s culture of pay-to-play politics has eroded public trust. I will crack down on political corruption, enforce transparency laws, audit no-bid contracts as required by law, and put Floridians—not political insiders—first.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I bring a combination of experience and independent leadership that no one else in this race can match. I served for five years on the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, where I worked on the policies and oversight that shape Florida’s insurance market. I know this job, I understand where the system is failing consumers, and I know what it will take to make it work for Floridians instead of special interests.

Throughout my career, I’ve never been afraid to stand up to my own party or anyone else when it’s the right thing to do. That’s exactly what’s been missing from the Chief Financial Officer’s office. While Floridians struggle with rising insurance costs and affordability challenges, the current CFO has looked the other way as a billion taxpayer dollars have been spent on Alligator Alcatraz, at a cost roughly twenty times higher than most other detention facilities nationwide. Instead of asking tough questions, he’s enabled waste and political spending. Florida doesn’t need another politician who goes along to get along — we need an independent Chief Financial Officer who will fight for affordability, demand accountability, crack down on corruption, and always put Floridians first.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope people remember that I restored the office to what it was always meant to be: an independent watchdog for the people of Florida. If I leave office having helped lower costs for families by holding insurance companies accountable, protected taxpayer dollars through real oversight, and rooted out corruption instead of looking the other way, I’ll consider my job a success. Above all, I want Floridians to know they had a Chief Financial Officer who always put them first.

Campaign website: annettetaddeo.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Frank Collige

Occupation: Business owner

Public Adjuster

Age: 45

Family: My wife and kids

Education: Doctor of Buisness Administration

Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Masters in Forensic Psychology

Bachelors in Criminal Justice

Political experience: None

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The top issue is Florida’s insurance crisis. Families are paying some of the highest premiums in the nation, while too many policyholders face delays, denials, or underpayments when they file legitimate claims. As CFO, I will demand greater transparency in rate filings, require meaningful financial audits when insurers seek rate increases, strengthen fraud investigations regardless of who commits the fraud, and put consumers back at the center of the system.

The second issue is government transparency and accountability. Floridians deserve to know how their government spends taxpayer dollars. I will make financial information more accessible to the public, promote real audits instead of politically driven spending reviews, and ensure the Department of Financial Services operates with openness, integrity, and measurable accountability.

The third issue is restoring public trust. Too many Floridians believe the system is influenced by politics and special interests rather than the people it serves. I will lead independently, refuse contributions from the industries I regulate, enforce the law fairly, and make decisions based on facts, evidence, and the best interests of Florida’s citizens. My campaign has always been about one principle: Accountability. Integrity. Florida First.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

Every candidate brings a different background. Mine is built around the work this office actually performs.

I have investigated regulatory violations for the State of Florida, earned a Doctor of Business Administration, built and operated successful businesses, and spent years working directly with Florida policyholders through some of the most difficult times of their lives. Those experiences have given me a practical understanding of financial oversight, regulation, fraud investigations, and the insurance marketplace that cannot be gained solely from serving in elected office.

Because I have worked on the front lines, I understand how decisions made in Tallahassee affect homeowners, business owners, first responders, and taxpayers. I know where regulations work, where they fall short, and where greater transparency and accountability are needed.

When elected, I will bring that practical experience to the Department of Financial Services. My focus will not be on maintaining the status quo, but on solving problems, enforcing the law fairly, and ensuring the Department serves the people of Florida with professionalism, integrity, and transparency.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would hope to be remembered for restoring trust in the Department of Financial Services. If, at the end of my service, Floridians believed their government was more transparent, more accountable, and more responsive than when I took office, I would consider that a success.

I want to leave behind a Department that enforces the law fairly, follows the facts wherever they lead, and places the interests of Florida’s citizens above politics and special interests. I hope to be remembered for improving consumer confidence in our insurance system, strengthening financial oversight, combating fraud without fear or favor, and making government information more accessible so Floridians can hold their own government accountable.

Ultimately, I don’t want my legacy to be a headline or a single policy. I want it to be that the Department became an institution Floridians trusted because it consistently operated with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Campaign website: www.frankforchange.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Blaise Ingoglia

Occupation: Florida Chief Financial Officer

Age: 55

Family: Wife: Julie Ingoglia

Children: Jade, Madison and Ayden

Dogs: Miesha, Rousey and Georgie

Education: John Adams High School

Brooklyn College

Queens College

Political experience: Florida House of Representatives, 2014-2022

Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, 2015-2019

Florida Senate, 2022-2025

Florida Chief Financial Officer, 2025-Present

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

My priorities are simple:

1) Expose wasteful spending in this state regardless of political party and return that money in the form of property tax cuts.

2) Hold insurance companies accountable when they fail to live up to their contractual obligations while at the same time pushing for reduced rates to lower policy premiums.

3) Be aggressive on behalf of Floridians to make things more affordable and protect consumers through tax relief, lowering insurance premiums and rooting out corruption.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

One Word: Results

Since taking office in July of 2025, I have redefined the role of the CFO. In one year my office has exposed billions of dollars in wasteful spending by both Democrats and Republicans, returned tens of millions of dollars to Floridians and arrested over 1,000 insurance scammers, child predators and criminals who defrauded innocent Floridians. Many people talk—I deliver results.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

First and foremost, I want to be remembered as a staunch advocate for protecting taxpayers and Floridians. Everyone has lobbyists looking out for their own interests in Tallahassee. I will look out for the taxpayers interests. My role is to hold the line and stand with the taxpayers of this state on every issue. I want to people of Florida to know I am their voice against wasteful spending and overtaxation, not only in Tallahassee, but across this state.

Campaign website: blaiseforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram

These were not Syrian militants attempting to breach Israel's border, but religious Jews who had slipped into Syria and were on their way back.

The episode, first reported last week by Israel's public broadcaster and confirmed to The Associated Press by the Israeli military, has helped raise the profile of a fringe group of Israeli settlers that has staged numerous incursions into Syria, where they hope to establish Jewish settlements.

Israel's military has occupied the area in southern Syria for more than a year, but forays by civilian settler groups into the region have only recently became a regular occurrence.

The groups, with members numbering in the dozens, have attempted to cross from Israel to Syria every few days in recent weeks. The military is tasked with reining them in and, while most Israelis regard them as fringe, the wider settlement movement in Israel has strong backers in the country's far-right government.

The most prominent of the groups behind the incursions in Syria is known as “Pioneers of Bashan.”

Pioneers of Bashan are named after a biblical region

Formed early last year, the Pioneers of Bashan are a group of right-wing Israeli activists aiming to establish Jewish settlements inside Syria. They are named after the biblical region of Bashan, which includes part of modern-day Syria and neighboring Jordan.

They have their sights set on an area of southwestern Syria that includes the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa and Sweida.

Part of this area, including the summit of Mount Hermon, is a “buffer zone” Israel declared in December 2024, soon after the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an insurgent offensive.

The region was known in Scripture for its fertile land and came to be associated with strength and divine providence. In the Bible, the Israelites under Moses conquered the Bashan from the mythical King Og and it was then handed to some of the Israelite tribes.

Members of the group claim a historical right to these lands and argue that their presence there will help Israel defend the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed — a move not recognized by most of the international community.

Some claim that Israeli settlement of the areas would protect members of the Druze religious minority after violence erupted last year between Druze groups and Sunni Bedouin tribes and Syrian government security forces. Hundreds of civilians — mostly Druze — were killed in sectarian revenge attacks.

Amos Azaria, a Pioneers of Bashan leader, said the group aims to establish a “humanitarian corridor” from Israel to the Druze enclave of Sweida by depopulating adjacent Sunni-majority areas.

“The entire Daraa district ... must be cleared of the enemies seeking our destruction and instead be filled with Jewish settlement,” said Azaria, a computer science professor at Ariel University in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Aim to establish a Jewish outpost inside Syria

The group seeks first to establish a Jewish outpost in southern Syria next to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Outposts, which settlers often call “young settlements,” describe rustic footholds in territory they desire.

Settlers normally establish outposts in the hope that one day Israel's government will legalize them. That's how many Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank — which rights groups say are major drivers of settler violence and displacement of Palestinians — got their start.

So far their incursions into Syria have been brief. The military has removed the activists before they have been able to build anything.

Videos on the group's X account from July 5 show a group of religious teens seated on the ground with their arms linked together, as soldiers try to pry them apart.

A second video shows soldiers shoving several of the activists and zip tying their hands behind their backs.

A video posted by the group in April shows several dozen activists waving Israeli flags and chanting on the roof of a house said to be on the outskirts of the Syrian village of Hader, in Quneitra, as Israeli soldiers look on.

Israeli military says the group compromises its operations

Israel's military says it takes a firm hand with the border-crossers. It has repeatedly condemned the group for diverting troops' attention from military operations and compromising their security. It says it detains civilians caught crossing the border and hands them over to police, saying it “expects law enforcement authorities to bring those involved to justice.”

Israel’s Channel 12 reported last week that no indictments have been filed so far.

The border-crossers say they have cozy relationships with members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Several government ministers have expressed support for their cause, and the group’s social media platforms document meetings it has held with at least two cabinet ministers, Amihai Eliyahu and Shlomo Karhi.

“We have support from friends in the government and many members of the Knesset,” Azaria said.

Syria and Lebanon are more concerned about military occupation

Syrian officials have not commented publicly on the attempts by Israeli settler groups to enter Syria.

The Syrian government has condemned Israel’s occupation of southern Syria and frequently calls for Israeli forces to withdraw and for the international community to intervene. Israeli troops have carried out incursions and raids in areas of Syria outside the buffer zone, sometimes clashing with local residents, who have increasingly attempted to block roads to keep them out.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, a similar movement has staged occasional marches along the Gaza border calling to reestablish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Israel removed its 21 settlements as part of its 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.

In Lebanon, a fringe Israeli settler group — “Uri Tzafon,” or “Awaken, O North” — has staged incursions into the southern part of the country. Like Syrian officials, the Lebanese government has paid little attention to the group, focusing on calling for withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon.

Still, some have warned against entirely discounting the settler groups.

Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri wrote on X of the attempts by the Uri Tzafon group to enter the country, “It is true that they are a small and fringe group and they withdrew under orders from the Israeli army.”

But he pointed out that the movement to settle the West Bank began with an embattled band of right-wing religious activists, known as Gush Emunim, “which in its early days was a small group that faced some obstacles and difficulties.”

——

Sewell reported from Beirut. Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP videojournalist Alon Bernstein contributed to this report from the Golan Heights.

School threats, online posts and social media activity may seem harmless to a teenager, but the legal consequences can be serious.

So, what are a teen’s rights? What are police required to do? And what should a parent do if law enforcement comes knocking?

Teens have the same rights as adults

Local attorney Millicent Daniels joined The Morning Show to break it all down on our latest “Justice 4 All” segment.

“Teenagers, minors, juveniles — they’re afforded the same constitutional protections that we as adults have,” Daniels said. “So that means that they have the right to remain silent. They have the right to have an attorney present.”

Daniels said the most important thing parents can do is educate their children before a situation arises.

“For kids, I think it’s important for parents to understand that we need to educate our kids to let them know that if law enforcement contacts you or wants to talk to you, call me,” she said.

What police are — and aren’t — required to do

Many parents assume that if their teen is about to be arrested, police must call them first. That assumption, Daniels said, could leave a child unprotected.

“Here in Florida, law enforcement only has to notify parents once a child is in custody,” Daniels explained. “Anything before that, they don’t have to actually notify parents.”

That distinction matters, especially in school settings where fights or incidents can draw law enforcement into conversations with student witnesses — without any parental notification.

“They may talk to your teen about what they did or did not see,” Daniels said. “I think that it’s just very important for parents to understand and educate their teens — before you talk to the cops, give me a call, let me know what’s going on, I’ll get there, we can bring in our lawyer, and we can make sure that you’re protected.”

Once a child is taken into custody, Daniels said, officers are required to make all reasonable efforts to notify a parent and must Mirandize the child before any questioning — informing them of their right to remain silent, just as they would with an adult.

Anything said can — and will — be used against them

Just like adults, anything a teen says during the process of being questioned or arrested can be used against them in court.

Daniels said that is especially true in cases involving written threats or social media posts, where law enforcement may show up at a family’s home while parents are at work.

“Inform your kid: do not answer any questions,” Daniels said. “Exercise your right to remain silent. Call your parent, let your parent know what’s going on, and your parent will go ahead and bring in a lawyer to assist.”

She cautioned that many teens — and even parents — make the mistake of trying to appear cooperative in hopes of demonstrating innocence.

“I see situations all the time where teens will even give over evidence,” Daniels said. “It comes back and harms them because they did not have to, but they wanted to make it appear as if they didn’t have anything to hide.”

Daniels added that parents who open the door and allow their children to speak without legal counsel present can inadvertently damage their child’s case.

“Those actions and those statements can come back and harm the child in juvenile court,” she said.

Knowledge is the best protection

Our conversation was not about helping anyone evade accountability — it was about ensuring families know what protections already exist.

It’s about knowing what your rights are.

Daniels agreed, and her advice to parents boils down to one core message: Have the conversation early, have it often, and make sure your child knows to call you — before saying a single word to law enforcement.

Wildfires that have burned an area four times the size of Paris and driven 220,000 people from homes and some of the region's tourist attractions promise to sting France's already squeezed economy.

“It’s a physical apocalypse when you see all these sites where there’s nothing left aside from burnt homes and forests, and then there’s the economic apocalypse,” said Patrick Seguin, president of the regional chamber of commerce, his voice choking with emotion in a phone interview.

It's “going to be a stab in the back for what remains of our economy.”

Le Grix de la Salle is among entrepreneurs bracing for pain. French government appeals for people to avoid the region are causing consternation.

“It’s incredible that they’ve said such a thing, especially when wine tourism is becoming more and more important,” Le Grix de la Salle said.

Bordeaux’s legendary wine has seen consumption plunge as young people turn to other beverages and competition from vineyards abroad has grown. U.S. President Donald Trump ’s tariffs have given winemakers — and much of the global economy — an added hangover.

“The wine business has been in crisis for several years now and it’s worsening with the geopolitical problems, the now widespread problems of inflation and the fact that wine is falling out of fashion among younger people,” Le Grix de la Salle said.

“Tourism was really the only dynamic part of the business that was still growing, both for us and, more generally, for Bordeaux wines,” he said. “And now this comes along as a brake.”

His family's Grand Verdus wine estate is roughly 35 kilometers (20 miles) from the fires that have raged since last week on the other side of the Garonne River that runs through Bordeaux. Bordeaux's Gironde region is mainland France’s largest by area and the fires have hit only a small percentage of it. But the mark on its reputation is sizable.

“How did they not think about protecting that sector? And the cultural sector, too. There’s so much to visit in Bordeaux. There are so many museums, there are châteaux. It’s unbelievable,” Le Grix de la Salle said.

The region in southwest France is replete with vacation spots for tourists lured by soft-sand beaches, winemaking châteaux, some of France's largest pine forests and the historic city of Bordeaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The oyster-rich Arcachon Bay draws foodies. But the fire and evacuations have emptied some prime spots.

The chamber of commerce says 39,000 businesses have been affected in the region that's a hub of defense and aerospace industries, including Airbus, Dassault and Thales.

Even before the fires, the chamber of commerce said rising energy costs were squeezing profits. Some 94% of businesses responding to a poll of regional enterprises in mid-July said they face difficulties.

“We’re getting more and more calls from heads of small- and medium-sized businesses, tiny businesses and craft businesses that are calling for help and saying, ‘What am I going to do tomorrow?’” Seguin said.

Two commercial courts in the cities of Bordeaux and Libourne reported a 37% increase in business liquidations from June 2025 to the same month this year, he noted.

Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said some restaurateurs told him that reservations have plummeted. He is pushing back against other officials' pleas that people avoid the region. He repeatedly has noted that the city hasn't been evacuated and isn't closed for business.

“The museums are open, the cafes and restaurants are open,” he said. “Life also goes on in our beautiful city.”

___

Keaten reported from Lyon, France, and Leicester reported from Paris.

Investors are closely watching the signals.

Gerson Gibbs, the Senior Managing Partner of Belite Capital, joined us on The Morning Show to discuss the Fed’s moves and the impact on average Americans.

If you’re concerned about your health, AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini promise detailed answers in seconds.

One survey found 17% of adults ask AI chatbots health questions at least once a month.

“There are a lot of reasons you might go to a chatbot for answers,” said Kevin Loria, a health reporter for Consumer Reports. “They can be quite good at generating a lot of information, and they’re very comprehensive and easy to understand.”

CONSUMER REPORTS: Can You Trust AI for Health Questions?

But experts say these chatbots AREN’T always reliable. They can make up facts or mix up important details while confidently presenting their answers as correct information.

It’s really hard to know when there are inaccuracies, and these systems do get things wrong. We know that to be true. Fabrications can be hard to detect.

People tend to over-trust AI-generated medical advice, a recent study found. Many respondents couldn’t tell the difference between an AI-generated answer and one from a real doctor.

And there are privacy concerns, too. AI systems are not bound by the same privacy laws as your doctor’s offices. So whatever information you tell a chatbot could be used, sold, or even stolen in a data breach.

Consumer Reports’ advice is to use AI as a starting point for information, not for diagnosis or treatment; keep your sensitive personal health information private, and always verify what you learn using trusted sources such as MedlinePlus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or a recognized medical organization.

And, of course, if you do have questions that are going to affect how you act on your own health, talk to your doctor. Chatbots should never be used in a medical emergency. Always call 9-1-1 for immediate help.

The program offers monthly lease payments starting at $17.99 for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac and $11.99 for iPad — though those figures represent starting prices and actual costs will vary depending on the device and lease term selected.

It’s available through the Apple Store online, in the Apple Store app and at U.S. Apple Store locations.

“We’re thrilled that Apple Upgrade offers our customers, both online and in-store, a more flexible way to pay for the products they love, said Karen Rasmussen, Apple’s vice president of the Apple Store online.

How Apple Upgrade works

Apple Upgrade offers 12- and 24-month leasing options for iPhone and Apple Watch, and 24- and 36-month leasing options for Mac and iPad. Customers who trade in a current device through Apple Trade In at enrollment may reduce their monthly payments.

Customers apply online or in-store and receive an approval decision from Klarna. The application uses a soft credit inquiry, which the companies say will not impact an applicant’s credit score. Once approved, in-store customers can leave with their device the same day. Online customers can choose delivery or in-store pickup.

Lease details — including billing schedules and remaining payments — are managed through the Klarna app. At the end of a lease term, customers can upgrade to the latest device, purchase the current device outright or return it and exit the program. An AppleCare subscription can be added to the plan.

What happens at the end of a lease

It is worth noting that leasing, by nature, means customers do not own their device during the lease period. Those who opt to return the device at the end of the term will have made payments without retaining ownership — a key distinction from financing or purchasing outright. Customers considering Apple Upgrade may want to compare total lease costs against other payment options before enrolling.

iPhone Upgrade Program to end

The launch of Apple Upgrade also marks the end of two existing Apple programs in the U.S. — the iPhone Upgrade Program and iPhone Payments. Customers currently enrolled in the iPhone Upgrade Program will, when eligible, be able to lease a new device through Apple Upgrade, finance through Apple Card Monthly Installments, purchase a device outright or choose carrier financing.

President Donald Trump is seeking greater control over mail balloting through an executive order while a change to how the agency processes mail is leading to criticism that it's failing to deliver ballots on time.

Democratic officials have raised concerns over the past week about how quickly the Postal Service will process ballots after tens of thousands of them in California and hundreds in Wisconsin arrived at local election offices too late to be counted in elections earlier this year. The top election offices in Kansas and Michigan are urging voters who want to cast their ballots early to avoid the mail and instead drop them off in person.

The Postal Service replied to those concerns by saying it remains “committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process.”

“We provide a secure, efficient, and effective way for citizens to participate when policymakers decide to use mail as part of their elections,” it said in a statement Tuesday.

Trump's order puts more focus on mail ballots

The Postal Service faced similar questions about mail delivery in 2024, but the scrutiny this year is heightened because of an executive order Trump issued in March that seeks to create a national voter list to guide the Postal Service in deciding who gets a mail ballot.

The order has sparked multiple lawsuits and federal court orders, leading to a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court in which the administration is asking the justices to allow it to impose its restrictions on mail balloting.

Trump has lied for years about voter fraud to try to explain away his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, and mail balloting is a favorite target, even though he has used the method himself. During a recent stop in Michigan, he falsely characterized mail balloting as “inherently corrupt” and added, “Hopefully there will be no mail-in ballots."

A 2025 report from the research group Brookings identified about four cases of fraud for every 10 million mail ballots cast.

Despite Trump's attacks, the method remains popular with voters of both major parties. In 2024, nearly 30% of U.S. voters cast their ballots by mail, according to federal data. In Michigan, where competitive U.S. House and Senate races could help determine the balance of power in Congress, the state said it has sent out more than 2 million absentee ballots for the state's Aug. 4 primary.

“We want to keep vote by mail. We want to protect it. We want to expand it,” said Jonathan Smith, president of the 200,000-member American Postal Workers Union, which launched a campaign in April promoting it and is opposed to turning the Postal Service into an election administrator. “Why? Because it works.”

Legal battles intensify over Trump's order

The Postal Service proposed a rule in June in line with Trump's executive order that would create a national list of eligible voters, based on databases kept by other federal agencies. Only those on the list would be eligible to receive mail ballots.

Democratic officials in nearly two dozen states filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts. A federal judge there blocked Trump's order last month, and an appeals court upheld that ruling, prompting Trump's appeal to the Supreme Court. But the appeals court for the District of Columbia refused Tuesday to block the order in a separate case, calling a legal challenge premature.

Democratic senators and governors have written to the Postal Service urging it to abandon efforts to implement Trump's order.

“Donald Trump has shown he’ll stop at nothing to meddle in our upcoming elections," Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin said in a statement to The Associated Press. "At best, this new push will exacerbate already severe delays for mail-in voters and at worst, it will stop eligible Americans from casting their ballots.”

In a letter to Democratic senators earlier this month, the heads of the Postal Service said they were abiding by the court rulings that had halted the executive order. But Smith, of the postal workers union, told the AP on Tuesday that USPS information technology staffers who are union members are working on a planned portal for the list of eligible voters “behind the scenes.”

The Postal Service declined to respond to Smith's statements and said it could not comment about whether it's moving forward with work related to Trump's order because of the litigation.

The postal workers' union opposes the plan for a portal, a national list of eligible voters and using that list to determine who can receive a mail ballot. Smith said it shouldn't be postal workers' responsibility “to decide who can vote and who can’t vote.”

A plan to consolidate mail processing centers upsets officials

The Postal Service has been under financial stress for years and has been consolidating mail processing into fewer regional centers. Mail travels an average of 139 miles (224 kilometers) to reach one and sometimes 500 miles (805 kilometers), according to a recent Brookings report.

In January, a group of mostly Democratic senators said it was concerned about a decision to end twice-daily mail dispatches from local post offices to regional processing centers. The result is that mail arriving after the only daily dispatch would go out the next day.

California officials said the change was a factor in the state rejecting more than 148,000 ballots from its June primary, with 63% of them arriving too late despite a seven-day grace period. Officials worried that some ballots were postmarked at processing facilities the day after they were dropped off at a post office, possibly invalidating them. Wisconsin officials also said hundreds of ballots from an election in April arrived late.

The Postal Service said postmarks generally are being applied with automated equipment at processing centers, “in the same manner and to the same extent as before.” It said someone who wants to make sure their ballot envelope gets a timely postmark can get a free one applied by a postal worker.

A report on the 2024 election by the USPS Office of Inspector General said the Postal Service handled more than 59 million pieces of ballot mail from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15 that year and that 97.3% arrived on time.

Some state election officials advise voters to avoid the mail

The Michigan secretary of state’s office is advising voters to hand-deliver ballots to their local clerk’s office or a drop box.

“We’ve seen these issues over a number of election cycles now — they’re always concerning, and that’s why we’ve put out that guidance,” said Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie.

The Postal Service said its Michigan centers are not seeing processing delays.

In Kansas, concerns about late ballot deliveries in the state's 2024 primary election prompted a quip on the social platform X from Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican: “The Pony Express is more efficient at this point.” Asked his view now, spokesperson Whitney Tempel said Schwab still believes “keeping your ballot out of the hands of the federal government is best.”

Jamie Shew, a Democrat elected to oversee elections in Douglas County, home to the main University of Kansas campus, said his office is trying to change voters' perceptions.

“I think voters are used to, you can drop it off on Friday and we’re going to receive it by Election Day," Shew said Tuesday. “That’s just not the reality.”

California's state budget includes $10 million for social media campaigns and other efforts to discourage last-minute ballot mailings.

And the Postal Service said it hasn't changed its own longstanding advice for voters: They should get their ballots in the mail at least a week before their state's deadline for receiving them.

___

Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles, Michael Casey in Boston, and Jacqueline GaNun in Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report.

The San Jose Neighborhood Association brought five specific conditions to a recent planning commission meeting tied to a proposed rezoning of the shuttered school’s site. The commission moved forward with the rezoning without adding any of the conditions neighbors requested.

“Those five items were met with resistance that was not favorable to the respect of our neighborhood and our community,” said Chrissy Kinne, government affairs officer for the San Jose Neighborhood Association.

Our news partners at The Jacksonville Daily Record reported that the Planning Commission moved forward with a proposed 110-unit development on the site. Duval County Schools is in the process of selling the property to Dream Finders Homes. Kings Trail Elementary closed last year.

What neighbors are asking for

The association’s five conditions include:

• Routing the development’s entrance and exit to Powers Avenue rather than Old Kings Road
• Height restrictions on smaller lots within the development
• An adequate buffer between the existing neighborhood and the new construction
• Written language in the planned unit development (PUD) description confirming the community will be a 55-and-up senior development
• Preservation of 1.44 acres of wetlands on the property

A neighborhood already feeling the pressure

Grady Pope moved to the Old San Jose area from Mandarin about five years ago — specifically because Mandarin had gotten too crowded. He says the same pattern is now playing out in his new neighborhood.

“You’re seeing a massive amount of building, you know, residential homes, town homes, condominiums, single-family homes everywhere. And we’ve experienced that on each end of Old Kings Road,” Pope said.

Pope says residents deserve to be part of the conversation.

“There’s 1,100 neighbors here that are involved in this decision that they’re going to be making,” he said.

Neighbors say they are pushing for a seat at the table as the rezoning process moves forward, and are hopeful the developer will take their concerns seriously.

“We’re just really hopeful that in the end, the things that we’re putting forward for the builder that eventually buys this property will come through with considerations for us that are meaningful,” Pope said.

Responses from officials

News4Jax reached out to Duval County Schools, Councilman Joe Carlucci, and attorneys involved in the rezoning.

Councilman Carlucci, who represents the area, responded Tuesday.

Due to this being a quasi-judicial zoning, I am very limited in what comments I can make. However, I have encouraged the applicant to reach out to the community members and find middle ground wherever possible!

Councilman Joe Carlucci

This story will be updated when the remaining responses become available.

Experts say these seemingly opposite trends are happening at the same time because of what humanity is doing to the planet.

“It does seem like a paradox because we’re talking increases in fires, yet the global numbers have been going down and down. But they’re both true,” said fire scientist Mike Flannigan of Thompson Rivers University in Canada.

Spain's wildfire is that country's largest on record at more than 193 square miles (500 square kilometers) while wildfires in Europe have burned just a bit under 2025's all-time high. In Canada and the United States this summer, land burned by wildfires is at least 25% higher than the 10-year average and more than double what it was decades ago, according to national wildfire centers. Entire chunks of the continent were choked by smoke, causing unhealthy air quality.

Fires are worsening in terms of size, intensity, speed and frequency, especially in the U.S., Canada and Europe, said University of Colorado fire scientist Jennifer Balch.

“Extreme wildfires are on the rise globally in different parts of the world. And that’s the piece that you know has us shaking in our boots,'' Balch said.

Fires decrease in Africa, Asia

And yet the world went into July this year with record low global emissions from burning fires, a key measure of their prevalence, the European climate center Copernicus reported. That is because fires in Africa and Asia are way down due to changing agricultural practices, fire management and where people are moving to, said Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at Copernicus. Copernicus calculated that this year's carbon emissions from burning are the lowest since satellites first measured nearly 25 years ago — about half what they were in the early 2000s.

“Africa dominates the global fire activity,” said UCLA water and fire scientist Park Williams. “So if there’s a trend in Africa, then that’s going to be the trend in the global fire activity. In sub-Saharan Africa, fire activity over the last 25 years has gone down pretty dramatically.”

On average, more than three-quarters of the global emissions from the burning of plant material comes from Africa and Asia, Copernicus statistics show. Less than one-eighth comes from North America and Europe.

Traditionally, huge grassland fires on the African savanna burned each year, compared to more intermittent forest fires in other regions, influencing worldwide fire totals, said John Abatzaglou, a fire scientist at the University of California Merced. But with more land being used for housing and farming, humans are limiting savanna fires, while also creating barriers to prevent fires from spreading, he said.

In Asia and the Amazon fires are often used to clear land for agriculture, experts said. So, Williams said, “it really is all driven by human demographic change.”

Human fingerprints on North American and European fire trends

In North America and Europe there are also “human fingerprints” on the more extreme fires dominating the news, but that is from climate change Abatzaglou said. Climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas is making it hotter and drier — ideal fire weather — five different experts told The Associated Press.

Hotter temperatures mean humans “have our foot on the gas pedal” for bigger fires, “but we also have lost the brakes on fire” because warmer and drier nights don't give forests — or firefighters — time to recover during darkness like they used to, Balch said.

When it gets hotter, the atmosphere sucks more moisture out of the ground, making it drier and easier to burn, Flannigan said. Climate change also increases the length of the burning season across North America and especially in northern forests where there used to be only a few days when the weather was conducive to wildfires, but now there are a lot more, he said.

And when climate change makes fire more extreme in places with larger populations, it tends to have a greater impact by burning more valuable property, Flannigan said.

Abatzaglou said that North America has long done a good job of fire suppression. But with climate change making fires more intense and frequent, “we're losing our ability to do that,” he said.

El Nino will add to fires

Fire activity is likely to get worse in the coming months because of the developing super strong El Nino. The weather pattern usually triggers more dangerous fires in the tropics, less so in the United States because of more rain, experts said. South American governments are already getting prepared.

“The most predictable outcome of El Nino is going to be more tropical fire, specifically tropical forests,” Williams said.

Williams said El Nino could increase fires in the Amazon region, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.

While El Nino means more rain and fewer forest fires in the U.S. West, it can also mean more grass growth in deserts that adds fuel for eventual grass fires, Abatzaglou said. Examples of devastating grass fires include Los Angeles in 2025 and Hawaii in 2023.

Regardless of El Nino, scientists said areas in North America and Europe will have to improve planning and adaptation for worsening wildfires, including prescribed burns to thin excess trees and grasses.

“It’s not a question of whether our landscapes are going to burn, it’s the question of when they’re going to burn,” Balch said.

___

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.

For fans, it’s one of the first chances to get up close with the team as it looks to build on last season’s AFC South title and 13-win campaign.

What to expect at camp

Fans attending Wednesday’s session can look forward to autograph signings, photo opportunities, and on-site concessions. Gates open at 7:45 a.m., with the event kicking off at 8:30 a.m.

RELATED | Training camp primer: All you need to know as season ramps up for Jaguars

Training camp runs July 29 through Aug. 26, featuring a total of 10 open practices — each with its own theme.

From Women’s Day to Military Appreciation Day, the Jaguars have built a schedule designed to engage a wide range of fans and give them the chance to see some of the team’s biggest stars in action.

A team on the rise

The Jaguars are riding a wave of momentum heading into the 2026 season.

Coming off a 13-win regular season, an AFC South title and a playoff appearance, expectations are high as the team looks to prove it can compete with the AFC’s elite — including the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.

The energy and excitement surrounding this year’s camp reflect just how far the organization has come in recent years.

For many fans, Wednesday is more than just a practice — it’s a statement about where this franchise is headed.

Tickets and more information can be found at 2026 Training Camp | Jacksonville Jaguars Account Manager

“You never want to let go of a player, especially somebody that you’ve been around for a while here and you drafted," Campbell said. “It’s unfortunate, but we made the move we thought was best for us.”

The Lions cut ties with Arnold last month, shortly after a Florida judge set Arnold's bail at $1 million on eight felony charges stemming from allegations he orchestrated the abduction and beating of three men.

A month after the 2025 season ended for the Lions, prosecutors in Florida say Arnold arranged for the men to be pistol-whipped after he wrongly suspected them of stealing $100,000 in cash and luxury goods from him.

In March, Campbell said the team believed Arnold was not involved in the alleged crime based on the information they had at that time.

“I feel like we’re going to be good here,” Campbell told reporters at the NFL's annual league meeting. “I’m going to trust what the kid said.”

Harvey Steinberg, an attorney for the 23-year-old Arnold, argued in court that prosecutors were “not even close” to showing that Arnold knew or directed what his associates would do.

Lions cornerback D.J. Reed said he is still supportive of his former teammate.

“He's a great human being, one of the better men, better teammates that I’ve met in the league,” said Reed, who is entering his ninth NFL season. “It’s an unfortunate situation, but he’s a great dude. A great human being. His energy is always positive. I reached out to him. He’s doing good.”

Detroit drafted Arnold with the No. 24 pick in 2024, when the NFL draft was held in the Motor City and the former Alabama star sported a big smile and a light salmon silk suit. He had two years left on his four-year rookie contract with the Lions.

Arnold had an uneven rookie season, making 15 starts without an interception. He picked off one pass last season while he was limited to eight games because of a concussion and shoulder injury.

Before the Lions released Arnold, the judge did not require him to wear an ankle monitor because it would have prevented him from taking the field for games and training.

The Lions, coming off a season that fell short of expectations, appeared to be preparing to potentially play without Arnold during offseason workouts because he was not on the field with the No. 1 defense.

Campbell insisted he is confident in the caliber of players the team has at cornerback.

Reed and Rock Ya-Sin are projected as starters while Roger McCreary will compete for playing time. The team is also hopeful Ennis Rakestraw can contribute after missing last season because of shoulder surgery and being limited to eight games as a rookie with hamstring and ankle injuries.

“We feel pretty good in that room with the competition between veterans and young guys,” Campbell said.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Come out and show your support for the incredible Top 3 Finalists as they compete one last time for the Jax Idol crown!

Paul Jackson / Carla Mendoza / Jonah Mcintire

These talented artists have worked hard all season, and they would love to have a packed house cheering them on. Your votes, energy, and support can make all the difference!Don’t miss an unforgettable night of amazing performances, celebration, and the crowning of our Season 18 champion.

Saturday, August 1st

Doors open at 4:15 pm, showtime at 5 pm

Jax Restaurant & Grill

FB: Jax Idol / IG: Jax_Idol

The trend is raising questions about what factors are making some crashes more severe and what drivers can do to help prevent deadly outcomes.

So far this year, 108 people have died on Duval County roads, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. That number is slightly higher than this time last year.

At the same time, overall crashes are down by about 1,000 compared to this point last year.

JSO spokesperson Officer Christian Hancock told News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson that the fatal crashes investigators are seeing are not always happening in the areas where crashes happen most often.

“They don’t occur in your typical high-frequency crash areas, because those areas are -- when it’s very trafficky during early morning commutes or late afternoon commutes are when those high-frequency crash areas are more pronounced,” Hancock said. “These traffic homicides are not typically those types of crashes. They happen out in the outskirts and longer stretches, higher speeds, of course.”

Hancock added the time of year can also affect driving patterns. He says during the summer, when school is out, there are generally fewer vehicles on the road. While that can mean fewer crashes overall,

“Less vehicles on the road typically means fewer crashes,” Hancock said. “Unfortunately, on the other hand, less vehicles on the road sometimes equals higher speeds because there’s less traffic.”

JSO says another factor investigators continue to see in fatal crashes is impairment. Hancock said many of the traffic fatalities the agency investigates involve alcohol or drug use.

While investigators continue looking at crash patterns, JSO says it is also working to prevent dangerous driving.

The agency has more than 100 officers dedicated to traffic enforcement efforts across Jacksonville, including officers with the Traffic Unit, Motor Unit and DUI Unit.

Hancock says those officers work crashes, citations and enforcement efforts with the goal of slowing drivers down and reducing crashes on Jacksonville roads. But investigators say drivers also play a major role in preventing deadly crashes.

“We want them to be patient, right? We want them to leave early, give themselves a little more time,” Hancock said. “We want them to drive responsibly, meaning keep the cell phones down.”

JSO is reminding drivers to slow down, stay focused, buckle up and never drive impaired.