“Defendant shall recognize Plaintiffs as eligible for the 2026–2027 basketball season and shall not deny or impede their recruitment, transfer, or certification on the basis of the challenged eligibility determination,” I’Ashea Myles of the Davidson County Chancery Court wrote in her 33-page ruling.

Myles, who heard motion arguments July 22, also ordered that the transfer portal open at noon Monday until 8 a.m. on Aug. 10 for any player wanting to enter and schools wanting to reach out.

The NCAA did not immediately respond Friday night to a text message or email from The Associated Press.

On June 23, the NCAA approved a new eligibility model for Division I athletes that will allow five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

Washington, who played last season at Vanderbilt, was the lead plaintiff in the complaint filed July 6 by the Texas Trial Group seeking the injunction. Others include Chendall Weaver, last at Texas; A.J. Storr, Mississippi; Jason Edwards, Providence; Daniel Egbuniwe, St. Bonaventure; and Zachary Davis, Memphis.

“Justice,” the Texas Trial Group posted on social media with a screengrab of the order.

Myles wrote in her 33-page ruling granting the injunction that “the NCAA has not applied the challenged eligibility rules uniformly among similarly situated student-athletes" with a pattern of extending years of eligibility to “certain groups of players.”

She noted a waiver for the 2025-26 season for those who played at least one season at a junior college or NAIA school, and Myles wrote each plaintiff played against students who got waivers to play additional seasons or attended junior colleges.

The chancellor's order also enjoined the NCAA from enforcing its rule of restitution against the athletes and colleges they play for this season.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation proposal spares four other states from facing mandatory cuts for now. It's meant to be flexible, allowing deeper cuts in drier times while giving the states more time to collectively agree on how to manage the dwindling resource that flows through dams to produce hydropower.

The Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada could together be forced to reduce their use by up to 3 million acre-feet (130 billion cubic feet) annually through 2036 — about the amount that Arizona and Nevada receive and enough to serve more than 25 million people a year. The actual reductions would be determined every two years based on conditions throughout the basin.

“The Department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.

Under the proposal, California, Nevada and Arizona would divide half the cuts based on a plan they already developed. Beyond that, priority water rights come into play. The priority system generally benefits California users over those in the other states.

Arizona and Nevada have faced mandatory reductions before, but the proposal outlines deeper cuts that could impact agriculture, cities and tribes. It could translate into higher water prices, more reliance on groundwater and leaving fields unplanted, experts say.

The proposal comes after years of deadlocked negotiations among the states and threats of lawsuits if a proposal didn't comply with longstanding laws and guidelines that govern the river, some of which expire at the end of 2026. A record-dry winter also left two key Colorado River reservoirs at a combined record low. Federal officials are expected to finalize the proposal in the coming days.

Why is the plan coming now?

More than 40 million people in seven U.S. states, several tribal nations and Mexico rely on the flows of the 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) river. Decades of overuse, along with rising temperatures, drought and climate change, mean it no longer provides what was promised in 1922.

The river's health often is determined by how much water is in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest human-made reservoirs in the U.S. Together, the reservoirs are at their lowest point since they began filling, according to a recent paper by Colorado River experts, and approaching levels where they could no longer produce hydropower.

How the water is allocated and conserved — especially amid a decades-long drought — has led to contentious arguments among the states, including threats of lawsuits. Both basins drew up proposals but didn't decide together on a single plan.

Because the states didn't reach an agreement, the federal government stepped in with its own proposal to buoy the river.

How are the states reacting?

Leaders in Arizona, which has the lowest priority rights in the Lower Basin, called the federal proposal flawed. Those in California said it's an important milestone but not the finish line. Nevada officials called the proposed reductions unrealistic and devastating.

The Lower Basin states have been united in wanting all seven states to share in specific, measurable cuts. The Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, meanwhile, repeatedly pushed back, saying mandatory cuts to their water use would be illegal under the existing compact for the Colorado River. While the federal proposal mandates cuts in the Lower Basin, the Upper Basin states can proceed with voluntary water cuts primarily among agricultural users.

The four Upper Basin state governors gave the document a favorable initial assessment but said they were still reviewing it.

“We are encouraged that new operating guidelines will better reflect existing water supply which must underpin any practicable plan going forward,” the governors said in a joint statement.

The Arizona Department of Water Resources said the proposed cuts devastate its water users and economy. The Central Arizona Project, which manages much of the state's allocation used primarily in metro Phoenix and Tucson, said the proposal doesn't accurately portray Arizona's rights.

What impact could the plan have?

The states will have a say in how they shoulder the cuts, though the federal government is expected to offer suggestions in the coming days.

Arizona Department of Water Resources director Tom Buschatzke said it will be painful. Farmers in Southern California and Yuma, Arizona, produce the majority of North America's leafy greens in the winter.

“Those are a lot of potential devastating impacts — and a lot of uncertainties for all of us,” Buschatzke said.

Cities in metro Phoenix don't rely entirely on the Colorado River and likely will keep everyone's taps running, but water rates will increase in some areas, said Rhett Larson, a water law professor at Arizona State University. The city of Gilbert, for example, has increased residential water rates by 50% since April 2025, he said.

“We are not running out of water. We’re running out of cheap water,” Larson said.

Meanwhile, cities across the Colorado River basin are constantly on the hunt for new sources of water, like tapping groundwater, treating wastewater and desalinating water, all of which are more expensive than deliveries from the Colorado River. ___ Pineda reported from Los Angeles and Peterson from Denver. Associated Press writer Mead Gruver contributed from Fort Collins, Colorado.

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This story has been updated to correct the Interior Secretary's first name. He is Doug Burgum, not Dough Burgum.

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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

“I was thinking 55,” he said.

Young cooled off with two birdies on his back nine in a bogey-free round, closing with a Detroit Golf Club-record tying 61 to reach 10 under for the tournament to tie Patrick Cantlay (66) and Patrick Fishburn (66) atop the leaderboard Friday.

“You hate to call it a disappointing 61,” he said, lamenting missing many birdie opportunities that preventing him from breaking Jim Furyk's record 58 that has stood for a decade.

Young, the No. 3 player in the world with three wins this season, shot a 59 in 2024 at the Travelers Championship and had a chance to join Furyk with multiple sub-60 rounds on the PGA Tour.

“It felt like I had a 10-footer for birdie on pretty much every hole,” Young said.

A lot of players took advantage of one of the easiest courses on the PGA Tour.

Matt Wallace (64) and Rickie Fowler (68) were two shots back.

Fowler surged into the lead — briefly — at 11 under before falling back to the pack. He three-putted from 24 feet to bogey No. 11 and went from thigh-high fescue to a greenside bunker at No. 13, leading to his second of three bogeys on the back nine.

“Nice to finish with birdie on 18,” said Fowler, whose sixth and last win was the 2023 Rocket Classic. “A lot of good stuff today and nice to be in a good spot for the weekend.”

First-round leader Peter Malnati, who followed up his 61 on Thursday with a 71, was another stroke back in a large group that included Xander Schauffele (66).

Hideki Matsuyama (68) extended the PGA Tour’s longest active cuts streak to 30 by getting to 5 under with a slew of players, including Tony Finau (67), who is hoping to improve his positioning to be among the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings after next week's Wyndham Championship.

“I check it pretty much every tournament just kind of see where I’m at, even on off weeks,” said Finau, the 2022 Rocket Classic champion, who entered the tournament No. 87 in the standings.

Matt Kuchar was another stroke back, getting a boost from his seventh career ace with a 9-iron on the 156-yard, par-3 5th hole. Kuchar invited a kid to join him inside the ropes to retrieve the ball, which he signed with a black marker.

“I saw a little boy that was kind of the right age where you know they’re so excited to be out here, just very impressionable,” Kuchar said. “One of those things where it’s easy to make their day. I think anytime you get to make a kid’s day, it makes your day.”

The Rocket Classic, which is in its eighth and final year, drew a stronger than usual field and some notable names missed the cut at 3 under.

U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark (74) was 5 over. Chris Gotterup, a three-time winner this year and ranked No. 7 in the world, was 1 over to end his streak of making the cut in 14 straight starts. Akshay Bhatia (71) — No. 12 in FedEx Cup standings — also dropped out at 1 under.

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

Both notes initially were sent to a Tucson television station days after the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie went missing from her home outside Tucson on Feb. 1. Authorities have not said whether Nancy Guthrie is still alive.

Saturday is the six-month mark since Guthrie went missing. No suspects have been arrested in her disappearance. The investigation is dogged by unanswered questions, such as how many people are believed to have taken part in her abduction and whether she was taken by someone who knew her.

In her latest video about her mother's disappearance, Savannah Guthrie said earlier this week that her family has been living an unending nightmare and pleaded with the kidnappers to “tell us where to look for her.”

The FBI in Washington did not immediately respond to questions about the ransom notes, including whether both messages sent to the Tucson station have been deemed legitimate.

In releasing the ransom notes, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said “we believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes’ writer.”

The first note, sent Feb. 2, said Guthrie was safe but scared and would be released unharmed once her captors received $4 million in cryptocurrency, with the ransom amount increasing if the first demand was not met.

It said Guthrie would be released within 12 hours if the payment was received. It also included a threat to kill her if the ransom wasn’t paid.

“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands,” the first note read. “It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible.”

The second note was sent Feb. 6 and said Guthrie died shortly after she was taken. “She is buried in nature now,” the second note said. “Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome.” The note ends with an apology, “We are truly sorry.”

Investigators hope the writing itself will help identify its author

The sheriff’s department said the notes reveal a distinctive pattern of word choices and provide insight into the writer’s mindset. The agency said someone who knows the notes’ writer may recognize the patterns.

Authorities similarly used a suspect’s own writings as a tool to apprehend Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, branded the “Unabomber” by the FBI. Kaczynski, who killed three people and injured 23 others with mail bombs over a 17-year span, pressured The Washington Post, in conjunction with The New York Times, to publish his 35,000-word manifesto in 1995. Federal authorities encouraged its publication, leading Kaczynski’s brother and sister-in-law to recognize the syntax and anti-technology themes and tip off the FBI, bringing to a close the agency’s longest and costliest investigation at the time.

In a statement Friday, the sheriff’s department also appealed to people who may know something about the case, saying it may be difficult to come forward due to a personal relationship with someone involved or just for their own safety.

“We recognize relationships and loyalties change over time as do people and their perspectives,” the sheriff’s department wrote. “It is not too late to come forward.”

Authorities say new evidence suggests the kidnapping was planned

The sheriff’s office also said Friday that two videos recovered from Guthrie’s doorbell camera might be from two separate days and indicate an unidentified male prepared ahead of when Guthrie was taken. Authorities are seeking information on anyone who was behaving differently, changed their physical appearance, suddenly left the Tucson area, or had a noticeable or unexplained interest or disinterest in the case.

“Investigators continue to pursue every available technological and investigative lead,” the sheriff’s office said. “However, community members remain a vital resource as we seek to provide answers for Nancy’s family.”

The FBI had released surveillance videos of a masked person who authorities said appeared to tamper with a camera on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch and block it with a plant. They described the person as a male about 5 feet, 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall.

On Feb. 4, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings first shared a video statement saying they were aware of media reports of a purported ransom letter and that they were ready to talk and listen, but they wanted proof that their mother was alive. Camron Guthrie, the brother of the “Today” co-anchor, said the following day that the family had not heard directly from whoever took their mother.

A day after the second note was sent, Savannah Guthrie said on Feb. 7 that the siblings received a message and “understand,” without sharing details. She said they were begging for their mother to be returned to them. “We will pay,” Guthrie said.

The family has continued to share their pleas for information in videos posted to social media.

Two men who were previously detained have filed a lawsuit

Also, two men detained and released early in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance are seeking a combined $3 million against a southern Arizona sheriff’s department. In a legal claim, they say they were wrongfully held by law enforcement.

The claim made Thursday against Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos’ department centers on the separate detentions of Carlos Alfredo Palazuelos and Daniel Maddow on Feb. 10. It said they were released hours later but have suffered from having been mentioned in the investigation.

Nanos’ office declined to comment on the notice of claim, a necessary precursor to filing a lawsuit against government entities.

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Associated Press writer Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Trump is taking Friday’s Cabinet meeting on the road — to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. It's the first Cabinet meeting at Camp David in Trump’s second term after an earlier attempt in May was scuttled because of bad weather.

The president said Thursday he may pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination for the full-time post to avoid conceding to Senate Republicans’ demands over a sweeping tax audit immunity deal benefiting the president and members of his family.

Here's the Latest:

Zelenskyy wants Trump to help persuade Musk to expand Starlink access

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pitched Trump and other American officials on helping Ukraine win permission from tech titan Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia.

Zelenskyy is looking for alternate ways to mitigate the need for U.S. Patriot air defense systems to thwart the steady barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian territory. The interceptors are in shorter supply as the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran continues to rage, and Trump on Friday appeared to back away from a recent commitment to give Ukraine a license to produce them.

Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump in an Oval Office meeting this week during his whirlwind trip to Washington, according to one person familiar with the matter.

He also told lawmakers later on Capitol Hill that he wanted Starlink to help with targeting inside Russia, according to a person in the room. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive private discussions. Trump did not commit to Zelenskyy’s request.

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White House signals Trump is weighing carrying out new strikes on Iran

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the U.S. administration’s frustration anew, charging that Tehran last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on a truce but then quickly “broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers.”

“President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur,” Leavitt added in her Friday evening statement. “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.”

Leavitt issued the fresh warning after Trump earlier told reporters that “we just want to win” in Iran and signaled that he expected U.S. military action to continue for some time.

“We’ll be hitting them very hard,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters during a meeting with members of his Cabinet. “You know, at some point they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’”

US drops case against man charged with damaging Reflecting Pool

Government lawyers said information provided since the indictment of former Olympian David Hearn shows that the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was by the result of a “flawed installation by the contractor” as well as “the rush to complete the project.”

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Dr. Oz defends decision to end Medicare prescription drug subsidy

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is defending his decision to end a Medicare Part D subsidy that had helped offset premiums for millions of older adults.

“It’s still very affordable,” he told The Associated Press at the National Governors Association summer meeting on Friday. “What I didn’t want to do was subsidize a bailout.”

Oz said the federal subsidy to insurers, which amounted to $3.6 billion this year, would have mostly gone to a single company.

“That’s just not a good thing for the American people,” he said.

While federal officials have insisted the financial impact to beneficiaries is minimal, the decision has opened the Republican administration to potential political consequences in a midterm year where affordability is a central issue.

Trump blames Minnesota governor for cyberattacks, cites no evidence

The president alleged that the recent cyberattacks were the fault of the state, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Authorities have not yet publicly named the source of the attacks.

During a Cabinet meeting on Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, Trump also repeated myriad false claims that have become part of his regular talking points about topics such as immigration, foreign conflicts and prescription drug prices.

▶ Read more here about some of the claims.

UN chief urges Hamas and Israel to follow US road map to peace in Gaza `without any questions’

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Trump’s announcement on Hamas agreeing to disarm in Gaza the only “good news” in recent days that have seen a military escalation in the Gulf, including a collapse of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

Hamas said Friday it will begin disarming as part of a stalled deal announced by Trump that requires Israel to halt attacks in Gaza and withdraw from the territory which the Palestinians insist must be part of a future state. Israel’s prime minister has not responded to what could be a major breakthrough to ending the war in Gaza.

Guterres told U.N. reporters Friday he has a message to both Israel and Hamas: There is a road map that must be implemented now “without any questions, skepticism, or determination to undermine it.”

He warned that the six-month war in Iran “is increasingly becoming a driver of instability,” saying energy markets have been upended, food and fertilizer prices have surged, “supply chains are buckling,: and “around the world families are struggling to put food on the table.”

Trump has wrapped up the public portion of his Cabinet meeting

The president gave a lengthy opening statement, heard from top officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and answered questions on Iran and array of other topics.

He has now asked the press and cameras to leave, meaning the rest of the meeting’s proceedings won’t happen in view of the public.

Trump steps back from pledge to let Ukraine make Patriot interceptors

Asked about his previous commitment to give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defense systems to counter Russian missiles, Trump said, “We have not agreed to that.”

“We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology,” Trump said at his Cabinet meeting on Friday.

“I don’t think this would ever happen, but you know there’s people that, you give that technology, they can someday turn on you,” Trump added. “You look at war, that’s happened a couple of times over the years, right? So we have to be very careful.”

It was a contrast to earlier remarks from the sidelines of the NATO summit this month, where Trump said, “We’ll give them the right to make Patriots.”

Trump said he discussed the topic with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when they met in Washington on Tuesday. Zelenskyy also met with senators to make a case for why Ukraine needs the interceptors.

Trump claims Iran war helped drive Hamas to disarmament agreement

The president during his Cabinet meeting said the newly-minted agreement aimed at leading to disarmament of the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and transition of oversight of the territory to a civilian body will have “ups and downs.”

Still, he said this week’s agreement is a “great breakthrough” that has been helped along by the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, which has served as Hamas’ prime backer.

“Nobody’s ever thought that would be possible to disarm Hamas,” Trump said. “That shows you how much success we’re having with Iran, because if you go four months ago or five months ago, a deal like that would have been impossible.”

RFK Jr talks about first visiting Camp David 6-plus decades ago

Trump health chief Robert Kennedy Jr. said he was visiting the presidential retreat on Friday for the first time in about 62 years.

“My father loved this place, my uncle loved this place,” said Kennedy, who is the son of former Attorney General and New York Sen. Robert Kennedy.

He said that his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was resentful of his predecessor, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, for naming it Camp David after Eisenhower’s grandson.

Kennedy said that had his uncle lived to a second term, he planned to rename the retreat Shangri-La, which was its original moniker before Eisenhower changed it.

Kennedy also cheered Trump for allowing reporters in the compound, saying Trump had opened “inner sanctum” of the presidency.

Trump later pointed to a picture of John F. Kennedy on the wall and said he was a “handsome guy.”

Trump says the anti-weaponization fund is ‘dead’

The comments came after the president spent the morning defending the $1.8 billion fund on social media.

“It is dead,” Trump said. “But I wish it weren’t, to be honest with you.”

Trump continued to defend the people who could potentially benefit from the fund, mainly those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Their families have been ruined,” Trump said. Those people “wanted to go to a rally or an event and ended up spending the rest of their lives in horror.”

Trump acknowledged that Blanche, his attorney general pick, has been a “pawn in this whole thing.”

Trump says ‘we just want to win’ in Iran

The president has previously insisted that Iran has been “completely defeated” militarily. But in his engagement with reporters at Camp David on Friday, he acknowledged that he expects U.S. military action will likely continue for some time.

“We’ll be hitting them very hard,” Trump said. “You know, at some point they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’”

Trump says he doesn’t think International Criminal Court is targeting him but ‘it could happen’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio complained that the international court based in the Hague was very arrogant and had unfairly targeted leaders around the world.

That prompted the president to interject: “There’s no indication they’re after me. It could happen.” He didn’t elaborate, but his suggestion drew laughter from Cabinet members.

Trump said Rubio wasn’t trying to defend him personally, but instead wanted to shield other court targets. He said that could include people like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“There is no indication that I’m one of them, at this moment,” Trump added again for emphasis, drawing still more laughter.

US to make visa bond requirements permanent, affecting mostly African countries

The State Department is making permanent a pilot program under which citizens from 50 countries, mainly in Africa, are required to post bonds to apply for a U.S. visa, and it’s raising the cost as well, to as much as $20,000.

A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register says a review “provided sufficient data” to suggest the bond program effectively enforces compliance, and would be made permanent by the end of August. The notice is to be formally published on Monday. Additional countries may be added to the list, found here.

The program requires holders of passports from the affected countries to pay the bond when being interviewed for business and tourist visas. The regulation says the bond will be refunded if the application is denied or after the person leaves the United States.

The Trump administration rolled out the program as a way of cracking down on visa overstays.

Trump starts Cabinet meeting at Camp David

The president began his Cabinet meeting Friday by saying his team was meeting in a “very special room.”

The White House has tried to highlight that this was the first televised Cabinet meeting at the presidential retreat.

Trump said he invited the news media to watch because he believes in “transparency,” before turning to his standard talking points about the economy and border security, among other issues.

CEO defends Exxon’s performance at a time of global supply shortages

American refineries are running at near-full capacity and poised to benefit because some refineries in the Middle East and Russia were damaged. And Asia can’t get the amount of Middle East oil needed for refining.

“Penalizing the businesses who stood by those countries and provided that product going forward is very short-sighted,” Exxon CEO Darren Woods said in a call with investors Friday. “We canceled investments that we had planned for Europe based on the last time they passed a windfall profits tax.”

Lawmakers propose taxing the war profits of major oil producers

Exxon and Chevron don’t set the price of American oil, which has ricocheted between $68 and $115 a barrel, driven by supply and demand, and what traders, refiners and other buyers are willing to pay.

Democrats nevertheless hope to tax major oil producers for profits from 2026 onward and redistribute that revenue to consumers.

“It’s fair to put a windfall profits tax on inordinate windfall profits rather than cut off children’s food programs,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. His measure and a companion bill by Rep. Ro Khanna of California would impose a per-barrel tax on companies that produced or imported at least 300,000 barrels of oil per day in 2025.

The UK and other European countries have extended temporary windfall profits taxes on fossil fuel companies to 2030, according to Tax Foundation Europe.

Major oil companies reap massive profits as US and Iran fighting drives energy prices higher

American oil and gas giants are announcing huge spring windfalls thanks to the fighting between Iran and the U.S. that made consumers around the world pay more for fuel.

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported that its second quarter profits doubled to $14.53 billion, boosted by record diesel production. The oil giant, based in Spring, Texas, brought in $116.02 billion in revenue, up 42%. Chevron, based in Houston, nearly quadrupled its profits to $12.07 billion and revenue jumped 56% to $70.06 billion.

Six of Europe’s largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year.

Latest developments in the Iran conflict

No U.S. strikes were reported in Iran on Friday.

Iran fired drones at Kuwait, a Gulf country hosting U.S. forces, and said it had also fired at oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and gas shipments, which has been largely closed by the fighting.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said Friday its armed forces had shot down drones inside Kuwaiti airspace. It said the Iranian attacks had targeted several vital military facilities, causing material damage from falling shrapnel but no casualties. It did not specify how many drones were intercepted. Iranian state media said Iran had targeted an air base in Kuwait with drones, in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Thursday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have hit two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media said four other tankers had turned around. The report did not provide further details on which flags or ownership the tankers were sailing under, or say whether there were any casualties.

FIFA chief operating officer tells AP that staff was ‘deceived’ by World Cup sell-off plan that ‘must not go ahead’

FIFA’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said in a statement to The Associated Press that the staff was “deceived” by Gianni Infantino’s lack of openness while planning the scheme to sell a World Cup stake to private investors linked to Trump’s family.

“It is the project of one person,” wrote Lamour, a longtime colleague of Infantino at both FIFA and UEFA. “Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”

Lamour did not resign the post he held since 2024 but said he had a duty to his colleagues to speak out about the “contempt and intimidation” FIFA staff has faced.

“And if that means I lose my job, then so be it” the French official said. “I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”

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Wisconsin Democrats shaken by Mandela Barnes’ exit from governor’s race

The former lieutenant governor’s announcement came Thursday amid news that the state party had reviewed past allegations of inappropriate behavior, further shaking up the race less than two weeks before the Aug. 11 primary in Wisconsin, where independents and moderates are key voters and where Trump won two razor-thin elections.

That leaves four Democrats, including most prominently Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who rejoined the race with the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her run amid a campaign finance scandal two weeks ago, and insurgent democratic socialist State Rep. Francesca Hong, running far to the left.

The single mother and former line cook has captured the imaginations of liberal Democrats upset with the party establishment, but she’s raised concerns that her past calls for defunding the police will hurt her chances against Trump-backed Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.

▶ Read more

Details on disarmament from the Hamas statement

Hamas said Friday that it’s committed to implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement, including the new road map focused on the steps it needs to take to disarm.

The group’s statement says it and other Palestinian factions agreed to the framework as part of a national consensus to protect people in Gaza and help meet their humanitarian needs.

It said Israel must adhere to the ceasefire deal agreed to in October and halt its attacks in order for implementation to move forward, echoing language in the new road map released Friday by the Board of Peace.

The agreement calls for Hamas, which ran the government in Gaza, to first turn over all police weapons to a national committee of technocrats responsible for administering the strip. Only later, once the Israeli military withdraws from Gaza, would it be required to decommission and hand over its heavier weapons, according to the text.

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Democratic candidates grapple with ‘defund the police’ baggage

With midterm elections looming, Democrats hope to convince voters that Trump administration lawlessness is the biggest threat to their rights and pocketbooks. The party’s past debates over crime and safety threaten to undermine that pitch.

Across the country, Democratic candidates are facing tough questions about their past calls to “defund the police” by reimagining public safety services or redirecting spending to other social programs — a prominent demand during the protests that followed George Floyd’s death.

Democratic leaders fear the outlier opinions may sink their chances of gaining ground in Congress, governor’s mansions and statehouses as the party’s rising left flank captivates its base, just as Republicans stoke fears about crime, immigration and democratic socialism in their closing midterm message.

▶ Read More

Trump swings at Cornyn over Blanche nomination

Trump, still frustrated about the status of his attorney general pick, began his Friday morning by going after one of the Republican senators who was holding up Todd Blanche’s confirmation to lead the Justice Department.

Continuing a criticism he began earlier this week, Trump said Texas Sen. John Cornyn had no issue with the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund until after he endorsed his primary challenger, Ken Paxton, for the Senate.

In the post, Trump also continued to defend the controversial fund, which Blanche said in his Senate testimony was dead. Republican senators want him to put that commitment into writing.

“Perhaps there has never been a group of people treated so badly in our Nation’s history,” Trump said. “They are suffering still, many ruined, and I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them.”

Blanche met privately with Cornyn and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis over the issue later Thursday and the sides were working collaboratively, although Blanche’s confirmation prospects still remain unclear.

The Trump administration is ending a Medicare drug subsidy program. Here’s how it could affect costs

Millions of older adults on Medicare prescription drug coverage could face steeper monthly costs in 2027, after the Trump administration concludes a temporary subsidy program that has helped offset premiums for the past two years.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week announced it would wrap up the program, which was initially implemented by the Biden administration in 2024 to lower patients’ Medicare Part D prescription drug costs in response to the effects of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

While federal officials insist the financial impact on Medicare beneficiaries will be minimal, the decision opens the Republican-led administration to potential political consequences in a high-stakes midterm election year. Voters have identified cost of living as a top concern, and many older adults, who tend to vote in high numbers, are on fixed incomes where every dollar counts. The roughly 25 million Americans with Medicare Part D plans will find out about their 2027 rates in the fall, when they are casting ballots in November’s elections.

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Trump is taking his Friday Cabinet meeting on the road to Camp David

Trump told his Cabinet members to meet him at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, a rustic backdrop for the Trump administration sessions that have come to be known for being overly long and consumed by endless praise for their boss.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 13th such meeting of the Republican president’s second term “will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.”

An earlier attempt in May was scuttled because of bad weather. During his first term, Trump held a Cabinet meeting at the retreat.

The public portion of Trump’s Cabinet meetings has lasted as long as three hours, with the president letting everyone at the table update him on their departments or agencies — with added praise for him personally and his leadership thrown in. In a departure from other presidents, he allows the news media to stay for the duration, a move that Leavitt has said proves his commitment to transparency.

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Trump announces a deal for Hamas to disarm in Gaza, but many hurdles and uncertainty remain

A Hamas official said Friday that they did reach an agreement on disarmament, the most crucial part of the ceasefire deal. Israel didn’t give an indication that they had agreed.

Trump said Thursday that a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza, but many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remained to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory.

The White House announcement comes nine months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was signed. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas had largely deadlocked over the implementation of its second phase, including the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of Gaza.

Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan calls on the militant group to surrender its weapons and destroy its vast network of tunnels. It also envisions Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, the arrival of a new technocratic Palestinian government, deployment of an international security force and the rebuilding of the battered Palestinian enclave.

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The leadership change came as police continue searching for people involved in a fatal, gang-related shootout at a food festival near the Space Needle last weekend. A 15-year-old was arrested at the scene and has been charged with assault, but charging documents say the gun he was seen firing wasn't involved in the deaths of two bystanders.

Wilson and then-Police Chief Shon Barnes faced criticism for being slow to release key information about the shootout on Sunday, including whether suspects remained at large.

Barnes, who was the city's second Black police chief, has been credited with boosting the recruitment of officers and helping reduce crime downtown. A number of Black community organizations, a major business group and several City Council members issued statements criticizing Wilson's decision to replace him Thursday.

At a news conference Friday with Andre Sayles, a Seattle deputy chief the mayor named as interim chief, Wilson credited Barnes for his service and said that as mayor she had a clearer window into the operations at the Seattle Police Department than her critics.

The lack of communication about a mass shooting at a major public event in Seattle was not the only reason she asked Barnes to resign, she said.

“There were multiple factors,” Wilson said. “The events of Sunday played into it.”

Sayles told the news conference the department would boost police staffing at public festivals for the remainder of the summer. He also said he believed investigators are close to finding and arresting additional suspects in the shootout.

The gunfire erupted in the waning hours of the Bite of Seattle, an annual three-day festival that draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers. Three people, including a suspect, were killed, and four people were wounded. One of the people injured was a 2-year-old boy.

The 19-year-old Agbayani, the son of former Mets fan favorite Benny Agbayani, is a middle infielder who hit .268 in 10 games for Fort Myers in low Class A this season. The sixth-round 2025 draft pick, a native of Hawaii, has been limited by injuries.

“It means a lot," Benny Agbayani said on a conference call Friday afternoon. “He wanted to get drafted by the Mets when he was first coming out of high school. That's all he knew. That's all Dad talked about. It's a great opportunity for him and I'm just going to support him as much as I can.”

The Alomars (father Sandy Sr. and sons Roberto and Sandy Jr.) and Wilsons (father Mookie and stepson Preston) are the only father-son combos to play for the Mets.

“It’s great to have him wearing a Mets jersey and continuing the legacy,” Benny Agbayani said.

The 23-year-old Amick batted .217 with 23 homers in 86 games for Double-A Wichita this season, playing first and third base. He was a second-round draft pick in 2024.

Minter had a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings with 20 strikeouts and only two walks. He didn't make his season debut until May 26, going more than a year between major league appearances. His 2025 season ended after 13 appearances when he injured his left lat muscle in his back and needed surgery.

Minter signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Mets in 2025. His 2024 season with the Atlanta Braves also was cut short by a torn labrum in his left hip, but when he's been healthy he's been one of baseball's most effective late-game lefties. The 33-year-old, who was a second-round 2015 draft pick by the Braves, has a 3.18 ERA with 456 strikeouts in 382 2/3 innings over 420 career appearances.

Minter likely will be the first of multiple Mets players moved before the trade deadline on Monday. They have the second-worst record in the National League.

The Mets scratched Friday's scheduled starter, Freddy Peralta, because interim manager Andy Green said trade talks involving the right-hander have intensified. Kodai Senga will draw the start instead.

“It just became a prudent path for us,” Green said. “There’s enough going on right now.”

The Mets also placed left-hander Cionel Pérez on the injured list with a left forearm strain and recalled pitchers Xzavion Curry and Jonathan Pintaro from Triple-A Syracuse.

The Twins, who started a nine-game trip Friday at Seattle, have a 4.92 relief ERA that ranks fifth-worst in the major leagues. They lead the American League in runs and entered Friday one game out of a wild-card spot.

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

There's no lesson learned more vital than this: Cool first, transport second.

Almost an hour and a half passed from when Stringer exited a blocking drill during training camp and arrived by ambulance at a hospital with a core body temperature of 108.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Though he was moved to an air-conditioned trailer by the practice field that morning in Mankato, Minnesota, the lack of effective diagnosis and treatment by the team's medical staff during that time made his outlook all the more dire. About 15 hours after he collapsed, Stringer was pronounced dead, the only known NFL player to die from exertional heat stroke.

“I’ve been an expert witness in 85 court cases of people dying from heat stroke, and in every single one the person didn’t need to die if they were properly treated and cooled,” said Douglas Casa, the executive director of the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut that was established in 2010 as part of the settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit his family brought against the league. “With a $150 tub of ice and water, these people would still be alive.”

Casa got connected with Stringer's widow, Kelci Stringer, and agent, Jimmy Gould, through the litigation. The professor of kinesiology had a personal interest in the subject of heat safety, from his own brush with death at age 16 while running a 10-kilometer race at the Empire State Games in New York.

Casa collapsed on the final lap with 200 meters remaining, got back up and fell again with about 80 meters to go. He was unconscious for two hours.

Fortunately, a quick-thinking physician placed him in a cold water immersion tub. Though that came after he was taken to a hospital, the effective on-site care he received from an athletic trainer and in the ambulance from emergency medical technicians gave him a fighting chance to survive.

“If Korey had gone in a cold immersion tub, we would not be chatting right now,” Casa said in a recent interview. “He would’ve had dinner with his teammates that night.”

Casa, who is on the NFL's general medical committee, regularly advises the league on player safety matters. The mandatory presence of cold tubs near the practice fields for every team, one of many protocols enhanced in the 25 years since Stringer's death, can be traced to the work that's been done in his honor.

“When I tell Korey’s story, it takes it from such a sad, morbid place to a place of such action,” Kelci Stringer said. “It’s better to be proactive than reactive.”

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

The onetime Republican lawmaker from New York said he settled with the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission to “put this matter behind him,” noting that he did not admit to doing anything wrong.

“He chose a prompt, practical resolution, rather than protracted, costly litigation, and that choice should not be mistaken for admission of any wrongdoing, because it is not one,” Santos’ lawyer Joseph Murray said in a statement Santos shared on X.

The commission said Friday’s settlement represents the more than $17,000 Santos earned from the unlawful trading as well as a fine of $17,500. The agency also imposed a three-year trading ban on Santos.

Kalshi, which had reported Santos to regulators, said it will also pursue its own enforcement action and work to reimburse traders if monetary penalties are recovered.

Leading up to Trump's February speech, Santos had talked frequently about his plans to be in the crowd. But minutes into the speech, he posted on X to say that he had been waylaid at the airport and couldn’t make it to Capitol Hill.

Social media users called him out, noting that Kalshi had put the odds of Santos attending the address at close to 75%.

Santos shrugged off the complaints at the time.

“I guess people lost money,” he said on his podcast in March. “Some people made unexpected money. That’s to show you how fragile these markets are.”

But the federal probe into the Kalshi trading prompted rival online prediction platform Polymarket to cut ties with Santos in June.

Santos’ lawyer, in his statement Friday, said his client had a “genuine intention” to attend the State of the Union, even booking a hotel and plane ticket before a winter storm scuttled the plans.

“Mr. Santos concealed neither his intention to attend, nor his change of plans to not attend the SOTU, from anyone," Murray said. “There was absolutely no intent to deceive any person, nor intent to manipulate any market."

Santos, who is set to appear on Fox’s reality contest “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” this fall, shot to political fame after winning a seat representing parts of the New York City borough of Queens and Long Island.

But his bogus life story of being a wealthy Wall Street player with a college degree and other accomplishments quickly unraveled.

Santos was eventually expelled from Congress and charged with federal wire fraud and identity theft charges as investigators probed how he funded his campaign. He pleaded guilty and served less than three months of a more than seven-year sentence before Trump granted him clemency last year.

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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo.

Trump told reporters at Camp David on Friday morning that administration officials had “agreed not to have a fund” that compensates his political allies, yet made clear that he disagrees with that decision.

The comments came hours after an early morning social media post in which Trump said people who had been prosecuted by the Justice Department — many of them for their involvement in the violent Jan. 6, 2001, attack on the Capitol — “are suffering still, many ruined, and I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them.”

Trump’s reluctant declaration that the fund won't be created came as Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, say they won’t support Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general until they see that promise in writing. They have been working for weeks with the White House and Blanche, who is now the acting attorney general, to produce a document to that effect, but both senators have said they aren’t satisfied so far.

“The President made it clear today that the so-called Anti Weaponization Fund is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it,” Tillis said after Trump’s initial social media post.

Trump said in his post that Blanche should be immediately confirmed and is a “pawn in this whole thing.”

Cornyn, Tillis want promises in writing

Blanche said at a hearing two months ago that the anti-weaponization fund would not move forward after Republican senators revolted and held up an immigration funding bill.

But Tillis, who is retiring when his term ends in January, and Cornyn, who lost reelection this year after Trump endorsed his primary opponent, said they want to ensure that the White House doesn’t reverse course, especially as Trump continues to argue that a fund is needed.

The Justice Department has provided the senators with language that says Blanche’s May 18 order establishing the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is “rescinded and shall have no force or effect,” according to a document reviewed by The Associated Press.

Cornyn and Tillis have said they also want some clarifications on a separate piece of the settlement that would grant Trump and members of his family immunity from tax audits. Cornyn said this week that it was his understanding that the audits could extend to more than 100 different Trump organization subsidiaries into the future.

“Todd Blanche said it was limited to the parties to the litigation — and it was retrospective, not prospective,” Cornyn said. “And all we’re doing is asking them to put that in writing.”

Blanche nomination is delayed in the Senate

The Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on Blanche’s nomination that had been scheduled for Thursday morning after Tillis and Cornyn said they needed more from the administration before they could provide the necessary votes.

After the meeting was delayed, Trump said in a social media post that he might pull Blanche’s nomination and resubmit it after Cornyn and Tillis leave office next year. But the two sides continued to negotiate through Thursday afternoon, when Blanche, Cornyn and Tillis met on Capitol Hill.

On Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations said talks had been positive but the senators were still awaiting a new offer from the Justice Department. The person requested anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.

The two senators have repeatedly said the Justice Department seemed interested in reaching an agreement, but the White House wouldn’t budge even to aid the confirmation of Trump’s loyal former personal attorney, who has aggressively pursued the administration’s priorities as acting attorney general.

“I think as far as Blanche and the Department of Justice, we were pretty much on the same page,” Cornyn said Thursday. “But then when the president got wind of it, he wasn’t willing to go along with it.”

Tillis said Blanche “has been forthright, thoughtful and patient” but attributed the holdup to an “incompetent personal adviser” to the president, even as Trump himself continued to advocate for the fund.

Behind the scenes, Trump legal adviser Boris Epshteyn is being blamed as an obstacle to an agreement that would let Blanche move forward, according to three people who have direct knowledge of the discussions and requested anonymity to discuss them.

Saying the AP’s “sources are wrong,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said “anyone trying to assign blame to the President or his team has no earthly idea of what is going on and clearly is trying to deflect from the issue at hand — Todd Blanche will be an exceptional Attorney General and he should be confirmed immediately.”

Also on Friday, Trump’s attorneys notified a court it would appeal a judge’s scathing ruling that characterized the settlement of the president’s lawsuit against the IRS as an improper exercise in self-dealing. The judge in her order earlier this month referred one of Trump’s attorneys for potential disciplinary action and criticized Blanche’s involvement in the settlement, given his prior representation of Trump.

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

Settlement fund could have benefited Jan. 6 rioters

Even as they are usually deferential to Trump, a number of Republican senators have expressed strong objections to the settlement.

“The criminals who assaulted police officers and defiled our nation’s Capitol are not ‘great American patriots’ who are ‘victims of government abuse,’” Tillis said, echoing Trump’s comments about the rioters who could potentially have received payouts. On his first day back in office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people who had been charged in the attack.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Thursday that the majority of Senate Republicans aren’t comfortable with the settlement fund.

“Blanche said it’s dead, and he testified that it’s not coming back,” Kennedy said. “But for whatever reason, somebody didn’t want to put it in writing.”

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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing that additional documents provided by the Interior Department since the indictment of David Hearn show that the damage was the result of a botched installation by a contractor as well as “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.” In addition, a recent visual inspection revealed damage throughout the pool, including in the middle — where prosecutors say a vandal would not likely attempt to peel the lining.

“Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” said the filing from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

Hearn's lawyers said in a statement that the case against him should never have been brought.

“Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” the lawyers said.

The dismissal marks an embarrassing setback for a Justice Department that had billed the prosecution as a measure of accountability for damage at a Washington landmark discovered in the lead-up to Fourth of July festivities in the nation's capital. But the case has long been saddled with evidentiary problems and challenges, with Hearn and his supporters characterizing the prosecution as a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to deflect blame and scapegoat others.

Earlier this week, Hearn's lawyers sought access to grand jury transcripts because of what they said were “irregularities” in the process. They said a National Park Service official testified that the pool already was damaged before Hearn allegedly touched it, couldn’t quantify any damage attributable to Hearn and said the same repairs would have been required regardless of his conduct.

“The witness’s testimony established that the pool had substantial preexisting damage requiring repair before any alleged conduct by Mr. Hearn,” his lawyers wrote. “According to the witness, the pool was leaking more than one million gallons of water per week; its expansion joints had exceeded their service life; and the liner already contained a rip.”

Hearn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony count of property destruction and had a trial scheduled to start Sept. 28 in D.C. Superior Court. The charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction, accused Hearn of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool.

In court papers Friday, prosecutors said they had only recently received new information that undermines the basis for the prosecution.

“It was not until after these documents were produced that (prosecutors) first became aware of information showing that the damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism as initially represented” by the Interior Department. Prosecutors could “only rely,” they wrote, on the initial information suggesting that the damage was caused by vandals.

Hearn has told The Associated Press he was detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police for five hours after stopping by the pool during a bike ride on June 19. He said he reached in to examine the pool’s newly peeled coating and briefly touched a chunk attached to the side of the pool, but said he obeyed a park worker who told him to let go of it.

Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.

Some 27 million metric tons of self-sustaining sargassum have been recorded in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in July, according to a report released Friday by the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab.

The prickly seaweed covers miles of coastline, releasing a foul smell as it rots onshore.

This year marks the first time that scientists have observed sargassum growing in large quantities in areas including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, instead of being swept into those areas by ocean currents.

The algae usually reproduces asexually as it travels from Western Africa, said Brian Barnes, a marine scientist and research assistant professor at the University of South Florida. “None of this is normal,” he said. “Every year is a little bit of a new story.”

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has been growing since 2011, dumping an increasing amount of seaweed along coastlines in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Experts have said that agricultural runoff, warming waters and changes in wind, current and rain could be factors.

The sargassum that began reproducing in the region earlier than usual this year stems from a record 40 million metric tons reported last year.

“The 2025 bloom was so big it never really left,” Barnes said. “It was enough to start a new bloom locally.”

Seaweed threatens tourism

Sargassum levels in the Caribbean reached record levels in June, while the amount present in the Gulf hit 5 million metric tons in June, nearly double last year’s record, according to the University of South Florida.

Scientists expect 2026 to be the second largest amount of sargassum recorded in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, noting that June alone saw 34 million metric tons, which was only 10% lower than the year-earlier period.

Mexico said Thursday it plans to invest $115 million to tackle the blooming algae, which poses an environmental and economic threat. The government estimates that up to 9,000 tons reach its Caribbean coastline on the worst days. Given current resources, Mexico says it can only gather 1,200 tons of sargassum a day.

On a recent evening, Alan Vázquez closed the restaurant where he works as a waiter in the popular tourist town of Playa del Carmen because there were no customers. He had resisted closing for several hours, hoping he would receive a tip and salvage the day, but vast quantities of decomposing sargassum are turning the famed turquoise waters black, driving away tourists.

“It’s sad that such a beautiful and lively place...has ended up like this,” Vázquez said.

He fears suffering the same fate as four of his colleagues who were laid off two months ago due to a drop in tourism that has devastated hotels and businesses in the state of Quintana Roo, one of Mexico’s tourism gems, where sales fell 30% in the first half of the year, according to estimates from local businesses.

In Puerto Rico, sargassum blankets the waters around popular tourist areas, including La Parguera.

“I don’t recall ever having that much concentration in so many places at once,” said Waldemar Quiles, the U.S. territory’s natural resources secretary.

Much of the record sargassum reported last year ended up along Puerto Rico’s coastline, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency.

It surpassed the previous record set in 2022 with a peak of some 22 million metric tons.

“It’s not a one-off event anymore,” said Emmanuel Maldonado González, an environmental sociologist at East Carolina University. “It’s becoming a growing hazard.”

Experts warn proliferation will worsen

Patches of sargassum in open waters provide a healthy breeding ground for wildlife, including turtles, fish and seabirds, and can be “a bit of an oasis of life in the middle of the ocean,” Barnes said.

But once it’s closer to shore, it reduces oxygen in the water, smothers mangrove roots and blocks sunlight from reaching coral and sea grass.

Once it washes ashore it can prevent newly hatched sea turtles from reaching the ocean, while the heavy machinery used to remove it from beaches risk destroying fragile turtle nests, scientists say.

“The coastlines are not built for this,” Barnes said.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, people are walking up to 25 feet (seven meters) on mats of seaweed before even reaching the water, according to Amy Dempsey, an environmental consultant.

“This is by far the worst I’ve seen it in the last five years,” she said. “We are getting slammed in the Virgin Islands.”

The smell of rotten eggs permeates communities where large piles of decaying sargassum emit ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

“The effects of these gases on people can be severe,” warns the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, noting it can cause nausea, headaches and lung irritation.

Used in composting and bioenergy production

Officials on the French Caribbean island of Martinique recently opened a shelter to temporarily house those affected by the toxic gases after residents protested.

So far this year, crews in Martinique have collected more than 11,500 tons of sargassum — including 638 tons in four days alone this month — according to government data. Sea barriers catch some of the seaweed, while crews on shore collect the remainder by hand, storing and processing it for composting and bioenergy production.

Researchers at the University of South Florida and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used artificial intelligence and found that from 2003 to 2022, macroalgae blooms increased by more than 13% per year in the tropical Atlantic and Western Pacific.

Overall, the blooms reached 16.9 million square miles (43.8 million square kilometers), according to a study published earlier this year.

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Associated Press reporter María Verza in Mexico City contributed.

A Ponte Vedra Beach estate recently sold for 20 million dollars, but former owner Rick Sontag isn’t taking home a penny.

Every dollar from the sale is going toward brain tumor research, a cause rooted in one of the most painful chapters of his life.

“It was a no brainer for me. I mean, what am I going to do with more cash in my pocket when I have a foundation that can use that and help build the resources,” Sontag said.

Entrepreneur Rick Sontag spent years building a life in the sprawling oceanfront estate and even longer fighting to save the person he built it with, his wife Susan.

“We started building the house around 1990. Together, we designed it together, we built it together and it was our joint project. We were going to move into our family home. Then in June of 1994, my wife had a stroke and subsequently was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. So that was our welcome home, that new home,” Sontag said.

Doctors gave Susan a life expectancy of about three years.

“That’s what I was told. And I got her into a clinical trial over here at Mayo Clinic. Miraculously wound up living 28. Believe it or not, it was a total miracle,” he said.

After selling his Jacksonville-based aerospace company, Unison, to GE in 2002, Rick and Susan used their success to create The Sontag Foundation.

What started as a personal mission has grown into one of North America’s largest private funders of brain tumor research.

“Since 2014, we are proud to say we have helped over 6,000 patients around the United States find their way to treatment,” Sontag said.

The foundation has invested millions in scientific research while helping patients and caregivers connect with specialists, clinical trials and support through the Brain Tumor Network.

Rick continued researching treatments and helping Susan navigate experimental therapies before her passing in 2022.

“She came out with paper wrapped and in it was this big portrait. It was a portrait of her. She said I want you to remember me, the way I was,” he recalled.

Now the home where their story began is helping write its next chapter.

Instead of benefiting from one of Northeast Florida’s most valuable properties, Sontag turned it into a multi-million-dollar gift, one that will help researchers search for better treatments and hopefully one day, a cure.

For Sontag, the sale isn’t the end of a chapter.

It’s a way to ensure that the home he shared with Susan continues supporting the cause they built together.

To learn more about The Sontag Foundation and the Brain Tumor Network, click here.

Craig won 66.3% of the votes in a runoff with Sian Astley from the anti-immigration party Reform UK.

“To those that voted for me, thank you,” Craig said after the result was declared. “And for those of you that didn’t vote for me, I will still be your mayor. I will defend this city region with every bone in my body and I will fight for a better life for all of us.”

Turnout in voting held Thursday was only 25%, the lowest in any of the four elections since the northwest England city got a directly elected mayor in 2017.

Voters were able to mark a first and second choice on their ballots. Since no candidate reached 50% of the votes in the first round, the top two competed in a runoff in which the second-preference choices of five eliminated candidates were added.

Craig is the outgoing leader of Manchester City Council, one of the 10 boroughs that make up Greater Manchester. She fell just short of getting 50% of the first-round votes, so didn’t match the performance of Burnham, who won three straight elections without ever facing a runoff.

But the decisive result is still a boost for the center-left Labour Party, which was trounced by Reform UK in elections for local council seats across Greater Manchester less than three months ago.

Labour’s rout in those local elections across England helped trigger the resignation of then- Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Burnham’s rapid rise to the prime minister’s office.

“Labour got an absolute pasting, a shellacking in those local elections,” said Rob Ford, professor of politics at the University of Manchester. He said Craig's rebound from that low ebb is “a really powerful moment" for the party.

Burnham was mayor of Greater Manchester for nine years until he won a special election for a seat in Parliament and was selected as Labour leader after Starmer resigned. Burnham became prime minister on July 20.

Lynn Straughan, who ran for the District 5 school board seat in 2024, said she was unaware her name and photo would be used on the guides and never gave anyone permission to include her.

“I want to make sure that people understand that just because my name and picture appeared on that voter guide, that I had nothing to do with it,” she said.

Straughan said she became aware of an investigation into the voter guides during the 2024 campaign. She said the controversy made it difficult for her to campaign because her name appeared on voter guides displayed at Republican Party of St. Johns County tents.

According to Straughan, the Republican Party’s voter guide displayed the fraudulent guide alongside other guides and labeled the other guides as fake.

She said the situation forced her to spend much of the campaign defending herself rather than focusing on her candidacy.

“I felt like I had been in a war,” Straughan said of the campaign.

Now, with criminal charges filed in connection with the alleged fraudulent voter guides, Strawn said she is once again having to explain that she had no role in their creation.

She said she filed a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission before the 2024 primary and also contacted the Florida secretary of state’s office after seeing how the guides were affecting her campaign.

Straughan said she does not know who created the guide and was surprised to learn more about the people allegedly connected to it.

She also said the controversy has a potential impact beyond her political career.

Straughan is president of Kids Bridge, a nonprofit supervised visitation center that works with children and families involved in situations including abuse, neglect and domestic violence.

The organization supervises visits between children and parents when court orders require supervised visitation. Some children involved in the program live in foster care, while others live with a custodial parent.

Straughan said she has spent about 24 years fundraising for Kids Bridge, making her reputation particularly important.

“If you’re going to raise money for a nonprofit in any place in this country, your integrity has to be stellar,” Straughan said.

She worries that seeing her name and photo repeatedly associated with the fraudulent voter guides could cause people to question whether she had any involvement in the scheme.

“I don’t ever want there to be any hesitation in anyone’s mind when they donate to Kids Bridge that, well, this person could possibly be involved in something that was a criminal activity,” she said.

Straughan said she is following the criminal case and is glad election officials took the allegations seriously and continued investigating.

But she said it remains frustrating to see the voter guides displayed in news coverage because her photo and name are still visible.

“It’s just made my life more difficult,” she said.

Strawn said the experience has also made her hesitant to run for political office again.

“It would take a lot of soul searching to do that,” she said.

Ultimately, Straughan said she hopes the case reinforces the importance of reporting questionable election activity.

“I just want to make sure that we can still trust the whole election process and that when people do see things, that they do report it,” she said.

The summer pattern continues with Feels Like temperatures ranging from 100 to 108 degrees. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will move east-southeast, toward I-95 and the beaches through around 10 p.m. A few showers will be possible early Saturday morning with increasing coverage during the afternoon and early evening. Locally heavy rain and wind remain the main storm hazards.

More of the same Sunday with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing after noon and continuing through late night. The pattern remains unsettled on Monday with near seasonal temperatures and sea breeze showers and storms through the rest of the week.

Tonight: Hot and humid with isolated showers and thunderstorms near and along I-95 and the beaches.

Saturday: Moring showers will be possible followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms developing during the afternoon and lingering through late night. Rain chances 60-70 percent. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Lows in the upper 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the 90s. Wind: SW 10-15 mph. Partly cloudy skies overnight.

Sunday: Showers will be possible early with increasing coverage as scattered showers and thunderstorms develop with the heat of the day. Rain chances 70-90 percent. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Lows in the upper 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the 90s. Wind: SW 10-15 mph. Cloudy skies overnight.

Looking ahead: Rain chances continue through Monday.

Tropics: Tropical activity is not expected for the next 7 days.

Sunrise: 6:45 p.m.

Sunset: 8:21 p.m.

The Georgia Forestry Commission confirmed on Friday that the fire was started by one of the dozens of lightning strikes that occurred during heavy showers on Wednesday.

Smoke billowing from the wildfire near I-95 in Camden County forced officials to shut down the interstate between Exit 14 and Exit 22 for hours on Wednesday when visibility was reduced to zero.

Crews were calling the fire, which has been registered by the National Interagency Fire Center, the “Camden McCarthy Overpass Fire.”

The GFC said the firefighters were having a hard time getting to the marshy area where the fire started with their ground equipment, so GFC helicopters were making water drops.

Photos from Camden County Fire Rescue on Facebook show heavy smoke over the highway near Woodbine. No homes or other structures are being threatened.

The Jaguars are thrilled to see Travis Hunter back on the field.

It’s been nine long months since Hunter, the unicorn of a football player who won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024, last saw the field as a fully-functioning Jaguars player.

“It’s been great to be back,” Hunter said.

Jacksonville made the biggest draft dray trade in franchise history last year when it moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 to select Hunter. The Jaguars envisioned Hunter possessing the skills on both sides of the ball to elevate the game itself.

The results were mixed. Hunter had flickers on offense, including a career-best 101 yards and a touchdown in a Week 7 game against the Rams. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice the following week and missed the rest of the season. He was cleared to resume full speed practicing before training camp.

“Just get the rust off right now,” Hunter said. “I’ve been gone for nine months, not able to be out here with my teammates for nine months, so finally being able to hit the grass, knock the rust off and just continue to click with the quarterbacks and click with the defense.”

Jacksonville has said throughout the offseason that it expected to keep playing Hunter on both sides of the ball.

Hunter has gotten more work on the defensive side during the first three days of training camp. He’s expected to start opposite Buster Brown at cornerback. Jacksonville has continued to keep Hunter on a tight schedule as it tries to maximize his reps between corner and receiver. He flips from his white defensive jersey to his teal offensive jersey throughout camp days.

“They’re so crucial to have the time, and you have to be extremely intentional with that time when we have him because it is limited,” said head coach Liam Coen. “I mean, just per side of the ball, especially right now offensively, it’s just over here a little bit less when you’re doing some of the individual work, and it’s showing a little bit with some of the timing that we need to continue to work on, and that’s why those guys get some more extra work after practice.”

QB tracker:

Trevor Lawrence: 11 for 19, five TDs (BTJ 3, Meyers 1, Washington 1; 1 interception (Jarrian Jones)

Nick Mullens: 8 for 20, 3 TDs (Austin Trammell 2, Tanner Koziol 1); 2 interceptions (Jarrian Jones and Branson Combs)

Carter Bradley: 1 for 2.

Joey Aguilar: 1 for 2, TD (J’Mari Taylor).

RB tracker:

Bhayshul Tuten: Four carries all with Trevor Lawrence.

LeQuint Allen: Three carries all with Lawrence.

Ameer Abdullah: Five carries all with Nick Mullens.

DeeJay Dallas: Two carries. One with Lawrence and one with Mullens.

J’Mari Taylor: Two carries, TD.

Personnel groupings:

11 personnel: 35/44 = 79.5%

12 personnel: 6/44 = 13.6%

13 personnel: 3/44 = 6.8%

Arik Armstead had a veterans day off.

Player of the day:

This one was a no-brainer. Jarrian Jones was on one! He wrecked shop! Jones came up with two interceptions but a nice PBU. One of his interceptions came off of Lawrence in the red zone. Lawrence was looking for Parker Washington on as little out route but Jones read it and jumped it. This may be the single most dominant defensive practice I have seen from a Jaguars player in my time covering the team.

The big note from this practice is that Anton Harrison spent the day at left tackle, and Walker Little spent the day at right tackle. The coaching staff loves versatility along the O-line and to try out different combos, so seeing this is a surprise. But this isn’t just a test-it-out type of look right now; the question is who should start at left tackle if Cole Van Lanen isn’t ready Week 1. It wouldn’t surprise me if that person ends up being Anton Harrison. He has spent his entire NFL career up until now at right tackle, but he played left tackle in college.

The linebacker battle between Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller is absolute cinema. These two have been throwing haymakers back and forth each day. Combs made a jumping interception off a pass from Nick Mullens. Miller responded by getting a diving pass breakup a few plays later. These two have both been making plays; this will be a tough battle to judge.

An expanding crisis for soccer's governing body reached into Infantino's longtime inner circle when his pick to represent FIFA on the White House Task Force for the World Cup walked away calling the Joshua Kushner-backed $20 billion commercial subsidiary plan “a bad deal for football.”

Carlos Cordeiro is a former Goldman Sachs banker and officially Infantino's Senior Adviser yet revealed he was not involved in the secretive investment plan that has rocked the sport since media reports revealed it Tuesday.

“I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said in a statement formally resigning, just hours after FIFA insisted in a statement: “Nobody is selling football.”

Cordeiro's exit — and call for other senior staff to speak out — intensified scrutiny on Infantino one day after European soccer body UEFA threatened to boycott all FIFA games and events until the plan is dropped. North America's CONCACAF also rejected Infantino’s offer of one-off $20 million payments to each member federation by a mid-September deadline.

Cordeiro often joined Infantino on working visits to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in recent years, and took part in meetings of the administration's World Cup task force led by Andrew Guiliani.

“Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” said Cordeiro, the former U.S. Soccer Federation president.

Asia joins Europe and North America

On another seismic day in soccer politics, Asia’s soccer body that has been a key ally in Infantino's 11-year presidency opposed the investor plan and said FIFA must urgently review its management style

The Asian Football Confederation said it “stands in solidarity” with UEFA and CONCACAF, the first two continental bodies to oppose Infantino whose combined 90 FIFA member countries near a majority of the 211 global total.

“Football should never have been placed in such a position,” said the Asian soccer body, which counts 46 of FIFA's 211 members

Infantino has proposed spinning off FIFA's commercial businesses — including World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women — into a $20 billion subsidiary with 20% owned by private investors.

The “anchor investor,” described by FIFA, is a New York-based investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

“(T)he proposed (FIFA Forward Enterprise) cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward” and must be reconsidered, the AFC said.

The statement did not name Infantino yet criticized FIFA for problems beyond the content of the private equity plan plus failing to consult about the secretive proposal.

“Rather, it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed,” said the AFC, whose longtime president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa narrowly lost the FIFA presidential election to Infantino in 2016.

“Accordingly, the AFC calls upon FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework,” said the organization based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

South America evaluating the proposal

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, was the last to issue a statement. On Friday afternoon, the organization confirmed that upon learning of the proposal it consulted its member associations to evaluate the matter “with the rigor it demands.”

CONMEBOL also requested additional details from FIFA regarding the project’s scope, structure, governance, and potential overall impact.

Infantino's job at risk?

Infantino had seemed — 11 days ago after the World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey — to have a clear path to being re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term in office through 2031.

FIFA had briefed during the tournament that Infantino had letters of support from about 200 members, despite a furor over letting U.S. forward Folarin Balogun play even though he received a red card in his previous game. Trump acknowledged asking Infantino to review Balogun's mandatory one-game ban.

FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for potential candidates to declare in a presidential vote of the 211 members scheduled next March in Rabat, Morocco.

FIFA blames the media

The Asian statement came hours after FIFA blamed the media and doubled down on pursuing the project which now seems to have a majority of the 211 in opposition.

“Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports,” FIFA said in a statement early Friday. “We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each (member) has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”

The next FIFA event that would be targeted by the threatened European boycott is within weeks — the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5. The four British federations comprise FIFA’s only bidder to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup. That decision is due Nov. 23.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

The United College Athletes Association said as part of the push, members of the Oregon State women's team filed a petition with state regulators, marking a formal effort to seek collective bargaining rights under state law.

The announcement comes two years after a group of women's basketball players co-signed letters to Southeastern and Big Ten Conference leaders in 2024, requesting a formal collaboration process on issues affecting college athletics.

Since those efforts were denied, more than 100 female athletes have signed union authorization cards with the UCAA, agreeing to representation in collective bargaining.

The announcement comes a few days after the College Football Players Association revealed that Stanford has become the first football team to organize a player-led chapter — another effort by college athletes to unionize.

The UCAA says its mission is to represent and protect athletes through collective bargaining, ensuring that college sports are safe, fair, sustainable and that athletes have a say in decision-making.

“As interim president of the UCAA, I’m proud to help lead a movement that gives college athletes a real voice in the decisions that shape our lives and careers," University of Maryland basketball player Oluchi Okananwa said in a statement.

NCAA leaders have long opposed the idea of players becoming employees of their schools, though the idea isn't universally opposed by college leaders. Tennessee athletic director Danny White has been among those who have said collective bargaining is the only real solution to the problems that confront schools that are now paying millions to their players.

Attempts to create unions for college athletes at Dartmouth and Southern California stalled in 2024 due to the changing landscape in college sports and the then-incoming Trump administration's new National Labor Relations Board, which wasn't expected to approve the moves.

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Judge Lindsay Tygart said that the court will need more time to review the materials and testimony presented in the case before giving a sentence.

“The court has been presented with an extensive amount of materials of evidence of testimony that the court is required to consider...the court is going to take a bit of time to re-review the materials and the evidence has been presented in the case not just today, but candidly from our prior hearings...,” Tygart said.

In an earlier sentencing hearing, Journee McGrew, 22, told the court that Waduta Woodley, whom she had known since she was a child, molested her multiple times for years, starting when she was in elementary school.

Woodley’s blood-soaked body was discovered by police in the breezeway of an apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Westside in July 2025.

RELATED: Woman describes killing man with hammer, testifies that he molested her for years as a child

McGrew was arrested that same day in connection with the discovery and charged with murder and concealing evidence.

McGrew originally pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. She later changed her plea to guilty in December 2025, and has been awaiting sentencing ever since.

McGrew’s mother takes the stand, reads statements from family

On July 31, McGrew’s mother, Jennifer Owens, took the stand and read prepared statements from McGrew’s brothers who could not attend in person. They described McGrew as a gentle person who has shown care for others and never hesitated to help.

Her older brother, Victor McGrew, who she was living with at the time of the incident, said that Journee McGrew was motivated and goal-oriented and was passionate about becoming a dental assistant.

“The conversations were always about getting ahead in life. Being a strong individual and conquering her mental health struggles. She was here with me and would always tell me about her dreams and aspirations and all the things she wanted to do in life,” Victor McGrew said in a prepared statement.

He also said he watched over her because he knew how vulnerable she is.

“This is the absolute last thing I would expect for my sister,” the statement continued. “I knew that she was struggling with her mental health. People have assaulted her, took advantage of her vulnerability and it took a toll on her mind. I’m in no way trying to justify her actions. I urge the court to consider the things she struggled with.”

Owens said her daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia disorder, bipolar disorder and PTSD and witnessed her get treatment for it.

The state argued that McGrew didn’t tell her mother about the alleged abuse until 2024, and they never went to the police about it.

Dr. Kathrin Ritter is a clinical neuropsychologist who helped treat McGrew. She talked about how the multiple disorders may have affected her decision-making.

“At the time of the event, she maintained some understanding, but her judgment, her ability to regulate her behavior, her ability to manage impulses, her threat perception, her ability to think and reason through consequences of behavior. All of that was significantly diminished,” Ritter said.

State recommends life sentence

The state recommended a life sentence for McGrew.

“McGrew decided last year to be judge, jury, and executioner. She decided she was going to take the law into her own hands. She decided to be a vigilante, to be retaliatory and to impose a sentence,” the state said.

The prosecutor said that McGrew didn’t call the police about the abuse, but she told her family years later. She also argued that because of her conditions, she needs to be under constant medication and the only way for her to do that is to be incarcerated.

“She has indicated that when she feels paranoid and delusional, this defendant responds in acts of violence,” the prosecutor said. “Any sort of probation or community release that allows her to go off of her medication allows her to become a danger to the public at large.”

Defense recommends reasonable sentence to be released

The defense said that because of her mental conditions and Ritter’s testimony that McGrew’s thought process was disorganized because of them, the court should consider a reasonable sentence so that she can continue treatment.

“Her cognitive reasoning was impaired to the point where it affected her decision making in this case [Ritter] describes her behavior as self-preservation due to those delusions and due to her diseases,” the defense said.

Her lawyer said that she is currently being treated while she’s in jail and should be offered an opportunity to re-enter society.

“She has an opportunity to heal from the illness in part, that Mr. Woodley caused her and because of that I’m just asking this court to sentence Ms. McGrew to a reasonable sentence where she will have the opportunity to be released.”

What she claims

McGrew testified during a sentencing hearing in April that she was diagnosed with psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder when she was Baker Acted before the murder.

Watch her full testimony below:

McGrew said she hit Woodley multiple times with a hammer after she lured him to her apartment by saying she wanted to have sex.

McGrew said it wasn’t her plan to have sex or to kill Woodley, but instead to collect evidence of his alleged abuse that could be used against him.

“This was not supposed to happen. I really wasn’t in my right mind when this happened. I’m not violent, and I’m sorry for this situation,” she said in a message to the courtroom.

Woodley’s mother spoke on behalf of her son.

“Everything changed in a second when your only son has been murdered,” his mother said in court. “Yes, this has affected my family, my daughter, my granddaughter [...] We don’t know how to cope.”

When McGrew was asked if she had a message for the family, she responded:

“I am sorry about what I did,” McGrew said. “I know how much I impacted your family and mine. I’m really sorry for what happened.”

The killing

According to her arrest report, Jacksonville police were called to the Cross Creek Apartment complex on July 2, 2025, about a dispute.

When officers arrived, they found Woodley suffering from what appeared to be blunt force trauma to his head and face. Woodley was lying on the ground in front of McGrew’s apartment.

According to the arrest report, Woodley had a white piece of paper on his chest that read, “PEDO Touches Children.” The writing was in green ink from a green highlighter.

Officers ordered McGrew to come out of her apartment, and she complied. As she was being detained, the report said she asked if Woodley was still alive.

After a search warrant was obtained for McGrew’s apartment, police went inside and found bloody footprints leading from the front door to the bathroom.

According to the arrest report, when officers entered McGrew’s bathroom, they found a metal hammer in the sink. Officers discovered blood on the hammer’s handle. The sink drain plug was later found in McGrew’s bedroom. The arrest report states that the liquid found on the drain plug tested positive for blood.

The arrest report also states that police found a pair of pink Crocs slippers covered in blood, along with a tank top and a pair of pants that were also covered in blood. The search also turned up a notebook with loose paper and a green highlighter.

McGrew told investigators that Woodley had been sexually grooming her since she was 8 years old and had sexually assaulted her multiple times, the report said.

The report went on to say that on July 1, she sent Woodley a text, saying that she had been sexually fantasizing about him and regretted treating him poorly. That night, she invited him to her apartment, according to the report.

McGrew told police that by 1 a.m., Woodley pressured her to have sex, which she denied him and asked him to leave. She said as they were leaving the room toward the front entrance, she grabbed a hammer and hid it behind her back.

The report said that when the two got to the front doorway, Woodley grabbed her in a non-forceful manner, and that’s when she began hitting him with the hammer.

Police asked her if she had invited Woodley over with plans to kill him, but her response was redacted from the arrest report.

News4JAX conducted a criminal background check on Woodley and could not find any criminal offenses related to sexually assaulting or abusing children.

McGrew said she never reported the alleged abuse because she lived with Woodley and feared being kicked out. She also testified she told friends when she was young, but didn’t share with her family or doctors until she was in her 20s.

The county is currently managing 44 active road projects with a combined budget of $183.1 million for the year.

CR 210 widening

Good news for families heading back to school. All westbound lanes on County Road 210 are expected to reopen by the end of the day Friday, July 31 — just ahead of the St. Johns County school year, which begins Aug. 10.

A county spokesperson confirmed progress has been made on the westbound side of the project and that all lanes should be open by end of the week (Friday)

State Road 16 widening near IGP

According to county officials, work on the State Road 16 widening project near International Golf Parkway (IGP) and St. Johns Parkway is 60% complete.

Drainage work near IGP is expected to wrap up by Aug. 9.

Meanwhile, a contractor is working on temporary signalization for an eastbound traffic shift from AutoZone through the existing traffic corridor.

That shift is expected to take place after Labor Day.

First Coast Expressway closures

Drivers traveling along County Road 16A should plan ahead for upcoming weekend closures.

As part of First Coast Expressway construction, CR 16A between Timberwolf Trail and River Reach Parkway will be closed during the following windows:

• 8 p.m. Friday, July 31 through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3
• 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10

Officials say the closures are necessary to allow for pipe installation across the roadway. During the closures, traffic will detour via State Road 16 and State Road 13.

Drivers can stay informed about lane closures and roadwork by following FDOT District 2 at @MyFDOT_NEFL on X or MyFDOTNEFL on Facebook, or by visiting nflroads.com. Real-time traffic alerts are also available at FL511.com or through the FL511 app.

The push for expanded use of Starlink comes as Zelenskyy looks for alternate ways to mitigate the need for U.S. Patriot air defense systems to thwart the steady barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian territory. The interceptors are in shorter supply as the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran continues to rage, and Trump on Friday appeared to back away from a recent commitment to give Ukraine a license to produce them.

Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump in an Oval Office meeting this week during his whirlwind trip to Washington, according to one person familiar with the matter. He also told lawmakers later on Capitol Hill that he wanted Starlink to help with targeting inside Russia, according to a person in the room. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive private discussions. Trump did not commit to Zelenskyy’s request.

Zelenskyy has been pushing to expand Starlink use for weeks

Musk has allowed the Ukrainians to use Starlink inside their own territory, including in Ukrainian regions occupied by the Russians, but has restricted use of the satellite system inside Russia.

Zelenskyy has been making the case for expanded use of Starlink with U.S. officials for at least several weeks. The White House, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington and officials at SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Zelenskyy’s request. Zelenskyy’s efforts to get Musk’s permission to use Starlink to help with Ukrainian attacks inside Russia was first reported by The Atlantic.

Granting permission for an expanded use of Starlink could come with risk for Musk. The Associated Press reported in December that two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Musk’s Starlink constellation with destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel.

The intelligence findings were shown to the AP on condition that the services involved were not identified, and the news organization was not able to independently verify the findings’ conclusions.

Russia views Starlink as a grave threat, the findings indicate. The thousands of low-orbiting satellites have been pivotal for Ukraine’s survival against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

Ukrainian leader also pitched US lawmakers during recent visit

Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham's memorial service and used the visit to check in with Trump and allies on Capitol Hill.

Zelenskyy visited the Capitol following his meeting with Trump in the White House earlier in the day. Senators said the requests the Ukrainian president made were similar to what he had told them earlier in July during a meeting at the NATO summit in Turkey.

“They need access to Starlink long term to make their longer-range and intermediate-range systems more accurate,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“They prefer to be exactly on target, as opposed to, in the general area,” Rounds said. “He made that pretty clear.”

Zelenskyy spoke with lawmakers late Tuesday evening ahead of a Senate vote on a punishing new Russia sanctions package, which advanced toward a final vote expected next week.

Zelenskyy also reiterated Ukraine's need for more U.S. Patriots and the previously discussed licensing agreement so Ukraine could start producing the system in house, said Rounds, who was part of the delegation of U.S. lawmakers at the NATO conference in Ankara.

“There was a consistency from what President Zelenskyy shared with us in Turkey two weeks ago to what he shared with us again once again, in terms of what their needs are,” Rounds said. “It’s pretty straightforward.”

Trump appears to edge away from Patriots licensing commitment

But Trump appeared to edge away from the earlier commitment to give Ukraine a license to make Patriots for its military needs during a gathering of his Cabinet at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, on Friday.

Trump at the NATO summit in Turkey declared “we’ll give them the right to make Patriots” to counter missile attacks from Russia in their more than four-year war.

The president told reporters on Friday that the licensing matter remains under discussion and said he hasn't made a decision on it.

“We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology,” Trump said.

Trump's relationship has improved with Zelenskyy as Ukraine has gained strength on the battlefield with Russia in recent months. And Zelenskyy has sought to portray that his war with Russia is connected to the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran.

U.S. intelligence has shown that Tehran provided Russia with drones to use against Ukraine. More recently, Russia has prepared to ship drones for Iran, including upgraded versions of the technology that Tehran originally supplied to Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, according to U.S. and European officials.

Zelenskyy said ahead of this week's visit to Washington that he'd share evidence with the United States that shows Russia is assisting Iran in targeting U.S. bases in the Middle East via satellite surveillance.

Zelenskyy also has been making the case to the Trump administration that his country is well positioned to help the U.S. counter Iranian drone attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East and Gulf allies' infrastructure.

“He has been very emphatic they are going to provide more aid to us in unmanned warfare, aerial unmanned warfare, which has been so instrumental in Iran — his people have been there, they’ve been providing technology and know-how — and they’re ready, willing and able to do it in even greater magnitude,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, who sits on the Armed Services Committee. “He was very emphatic on that point.”

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AP writers John Leicester in Paris and Emma Burrows in London contributed reporting.

Skattebo declared himself nearly fully healthy at New York Giants training camp, nine months removed from his gruesome right ankle and leg injury. But after getting into some hot water with the organization for doing a backflip and landing awkwardly on that surgically repaired ankle earlier this month, he's planning to stay grounded for a while.

“Obviously, I do some dumb things here and there, but I learn from it,” Skattebo said Friday. “We’ll see when game time comes around. But right now, we’re focused on training camp, and we’ll keep the backflips off the field for now.”

Skattebo alarmed, among others, coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen when they saw video of the backflip at Fanatics Fest in New York on July 18. He turned out to be fine, but a text message and some difficult conversations followed.

“He’s a young man that’s still getting used to the spotlight and in New York City, and you've got to be conscious of your actions, not only from a health standpoint but a perception standpoint,” Schoen said. “He knows I’d rather him not do that, especially this close to camp.”

It is not the first time Skattebo has been second-guessed for something off the field since reaching the NFL and getting hurt. He took part in a WWE show in November, weeks after surgery, took criticism from radio hosts but was not worse for the wear.

The botched backflip was a much riskier endeavor the Giants would rather he not repeat.

“The big picture message is you want to take care of yourself," Harbaugh said. "You want to take care of your team: do everything you can do to be healthy, be back, be right, be good.”

The 24-year-old running back declared in May he'd be ready for the season opener Sept. 13 against Dallas. Skattebo also told the coaching staff he'd be good for the start of camp and hit that deadline.

As a result, he has no limitations and is doing just about as well as he can.

“I've felt 99%,” Skattebo said. “I think the 100% is when I put shoulder pads on and I'm able to hit someone. That's when I tell you I'm 100%, but for now I'm 99.9% OK."

Skattebo will get that chance when the pads go on beginning Monday.

A 2025 fourth-round pick out of Arizona State, Skattebo rushed for 410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries before having his rookie year cut short Oct. 26 at Philadelphia. This past spring, he set a goal of playing 17-plus games and rushing for over 2,000 yards on 300 carries.

Skattebo didn't shy away from those lofty aspirations — which would give him a top-10 season in league history — but his main focus is on moving past the injury and rehab process and getting back to what he does best.

"It was a long, hard road," Skattebo said. “It’s time to play football.”

Malik Nabers did not practice Friday

After being the talk of the start of camp for getting on the field for individual drills after his own lengthy rehab from a torn ACL, Malik Nabers did not take part in practice Friday. Harbaugh called it “part of the process.”

“We’ll work through it, and every single day will be what it is that given day,” Harbaugh said. “He’s worked real hard, made a lot of progress and that’s what we decided to do today for practice.”

Neither Nabers nor the Giants have set a timetable for his return to game action.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Two major rail unions praised the proposed rule announced Friday that would also strengthen the standards for certifying that crews can safely operate a train.

The government had concerns after inspecting two Texas railyards near the border last fall on the two railroads directly affected by these restrictions on Mexican crews — CPKC and Union Pacific. CPKC and the Association of American Railroads trade group declined to comment while they study the rule.

“We have the same goals — safe, secure operations that keep the supply chain fluid,” Union Pacific said in a statement. “And we will continue working with our federal partners through the regulatory process.”

Inspections documented language concerns

The Federal Railroad Administration sent letters to both CPKC and UP in December after those inspections found several instances of train crews having trouble understanding English. The government urged those railroads to reexamine their practices and make sure that Mexican crews can speak English and don’t operate a train more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) inside America.

The Federal Railroad Administration said at the time the concern was that these Mexican crews bringing trains into Union Pacific’s Eagle Pass rail yard and CPKC’s facility in Laredo were having a hard time understanding operating bulletins and U.S. regulations that require information about hazardous materials and emergency responses to be maintained in English.

Both UP and CPKC have pledged to make sure they were following the existing rules, including that the Mexican crews do not travel more than 10 miles into the United States. But now the federal government wants to strengthen the rules “because railroad crews must be able to communicate fully and accurately when crossing into the United States, most notably with dispatchers and emergency responders during a crisis, as a safety-critical function.”

Rail unions and the Transportation Department worry

This rail safety effort aligns closely with the Transportation Department's efforts to ensure that truck drivers can understand English, so they can read road signs and warnings and communicate with first responders after an accident or during an inspection. The government has tried to withhold millions of dollars in highway funding from New York and California because it isn’t satisfied with the steps those states have taken to make sure the commercial driver’s licenses they issue are valid.

Mark Wallace, the national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, has been raising concerns about this practice of using Mexican train crews for several years because of safety, security and job concerns.

The union has said that the handoffs used to happen right at the border, but now Union Pacific and CPKC routinely ask Mexican crews to bring trains several miles over the border to one of their railyards where the crew switches can be done more safely. But the firm 10-mile (16-kilometer) restriction in this rule will prevent the railroads from expanding this practice to railyards further into America like the union said UP was considering in New Mexico.

“Trains originating from Mexico, operated by foreign crews were unable to communicate with dispatchers in English and the language barrier posed a hazard in the event of a derailment or other incident,” Wallace said.

Trains started crossing the border to limit smuggling

But the railroads have said that this practice of using Mexican train crews to bring the trains into railyards in America was developed in 2018 with the approval of the first Trump administration to address smuggling concerns. When trains are stopped at the border smugglers often try to conceal drugs or other contraband aboard them and immigrants might jump aboard to get into the United States.

It is also routine for Canadian crews to bring trains a few miles over the northern border with the United States before handing off to American crews.

New rules should strengthen crew certification standards

The SMART-TD union that represents conductors and other rail workers also said the provisions of the rule that will prohibit train crews from using a system that's similar to cruise control for freight trains when they take their certification tests will help ensure they can operate a train safely.

“Railroad certifications should represent proven ability, not simply possession of a certificate,” said Jared Cassity, who is SMART-TD’s top safety expert. “When lives are on the line, the FRA must know that an engineer can safely operate a train, not just supervise a computer doing it.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week announced it would wrap up the program, which was initially implemented by the Biden administration in 2024 to lower patients' Medicare Part D prescription drug costs in response to effects of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

While federal officials insist the financial impact on Medicare beneficiaries will be minimal, the decision opens the Republican-led administration to potential political consequences in a high-stakes midterm election year. Voters have identified cost of living as a top concern, and many older adults, who tend to vote in high numbers, are on fixed incomes where every dollar counts. The roughly 25 million Americans with Medicare Part D plans will find out about their 2027 rates in the fall, when they are casting ballots in November's elections.

Democrats slammed CMS's move as part of a pattern of federal attacks on healthcare affordability, alongside federal Medicaid cuts and the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies that had reduced premium costs for working-age Americans in that program.

“The Trump administration is actively raising prescription drug costs for 25 million seniors,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X in response to the news, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. “Heartless, cruel, and completely by choice.”

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz on Tuesday said ending the subsidy program would prevent billions of taxpayer dollars from being funneled to insurance companies. It cost the agency an estimated $3.6 billion in 2026.

He said most Medicare beneficiaries would see less than a $10-per-month increase, and some would even see lower premiums than beforehand.

“Every Medicare beneficiary still has access to low-cost plans, and we will continue to lower prescription drug prices for every American patient, from more MFN deals to our policy giving seniors access to GLP-1s for $50 a month,” he wrote on social media.

The federal government also negotiates directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower the prices of some of the most expensive drugs in Medicare, through a program created by Congress in 2022.

This week's decision has no impact on the out-of-pocket cap that limits the amount that older adults with standalone Medicare drug coverage spend on their prescription drugs over the course of a year. That was set at $2,100 in 2026 and is projected to rise to $2,400 for 2027.

Part D beneficiaries paid an average of $36 a month this year for their prescription drug premiums with the subsidies in place, according to the healthcare research nonprofit KFF. The subsidies offset the average premium by $16 in 2026, according to the federal Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).

It's not yet known how many Americans the change will affect, or how much more they'll pay. Older Americans have the opportunity to shop for plans each year, and prices vary widely between them. CMS has said it will release information about next year's premiums in September.

AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond said her organization, which serves Americans 50 and older, had supported the temporary subsidy.

“While it’s too early to know the full impact of this change, it would be unfortunate if this decision made Part D coverage less affordable, just as we’re beginning to see billions in savings from Medicare drug price negotiation,” she said in a statement.

Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the program on Medicare policy at KFF, said the price increases may be marginal for some consumers but impactful for others when combined with higher prices in other areas, like groceries, gas and housing.

“What's going to matter most for consumers is how much more or less they have to pay at the end of a month, and how much they have left after the bills are paid,” she said. “This could just make it more challenging for some people to make that math work.”

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This story first moved July 30, 2026. It was retransmitted July 31, 2026, to correct the spelling of “affect” in the 5th-to-last paragraph.

Tenants in the building at 50 N. Laura St. were notified in an email that the fast-food chain would be on-site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday from July 6 through August.

“While this is a temporary arrangement, Chick-fil-A is using this opportunity to test both the downtown market and our building as a potential location for a future full-time, full-service restaurant,” the email read, noting the temporary site is selling items from a limited menu.

Since then, Chick-fil-A announced that it is being extended through Aug. 31 and the pop-up is run by the Atlantic and Kernan location.

“It’s our pleasure to confirm the extension of the temporary downtown Jacksonville pop-up experience at 50 N. Laura Street through August 31. Facilitated by Chick-fil-A Atlantic & Kernan, local Owner-Operator Melinda Sowers and her team have enjoyed connecting with new Guests and look forward to continuing to serve the downtown community for another month. The pop-up experience will be evaluated during the extension to help inform future decisions,” Chick-fil-A said in a statement to News4JAX.

Sarah Teagle, a senior associate of office brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield, confirmed July 6 that the counter was open. She said sandwiches sold out the first day and that the chain was considering adding breakfast service based on requests from customers.

Cushman & Wakefield’s property management division manages the tower and took over leasing and management around January.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% after veering between gains and losses through the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 276 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1% after briefly losing all of an early 1.3% jump.

It’s a fitting finish to July for the U.S. stock market, which lurched up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran and worries grew about whether Big Tech’s massive investments in artificial-intelligence technology will translate into profits and whether chipmaker stocks soared too high in the euphoria around AI.

Friday’s gains sent the S&P 500 to its first winning week in three, but the main measure of the U.S. stock market nevertheless finished the month with a tiny loss.

Amazon led the market with a leap of 15.3% after reporting much stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its profit more than tripled from a year earlier, thanks in part to an acceleration of growth in its cloud computing business.

Analysts said that could be a signal Amazon’s huge AI investments are paying off, and Amazon increased its forecast for how much it will spend on investments this year.

The reaction was similar to what Microsoft got a day before, when its stock soared to its best day in nearly 18 years on signals that its AI investments may also be yielding higher profits.

Chip companies selling the processors and computer memory that such “hyperscalers” are scrambling to buy swung sharply again on Friday. Micron Technology, for example, went from an early jump of 6.4% to a loss of 6.5% before finishing with a fall of 5.9%.

More firmly on the losing end of Wall Street was Apple, which dropped 7.4% despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than expected. Its forecast for revenue growth in the current quarter fell short of expectations, which executives pinned on a supply crunch in components getting vacuumed up in the AI boom.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 52.09 points to 7,489.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 276.97 to 52,485.03, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 251.68 to 25,373.85.

The gains came despite another rise in oil prices as uncertainty continues about when the war with Iran will allow crude to flow freely again from the Middle East.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude rose 1.2% to settle at $87.93 after careening between $72 and $102 earlier in July.

Higher oil prices have pushed the cost for a gallon of regular gasoline to an average of nearly $4.11 across the United States, up from $3.85 a month ago, according to AAA. More expensive oil also puts upward pressure on prices for virtually every product that rides on a ship, plane or truck before getting to a customer.

The worries about inflation sent yields in the bond market even higher.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.71% from 4.68% late Thursday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran sent oil prices shooting higher. That’s a notable move for the yield, which moves higher when investors’ expectations for inflation, economic growth and other factors in upcoming years are rising.

The leap for the 10-year yield has already sent the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate to its highest level in a year.

Longer-term yields jumped on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve’s chairman, Kevin Warsh, promised again to get inflation back down to 2% but refused to say how he plans to get it there. The Fed voted again to keep its main interest rate steady on Wednesday, even though inflation remains well above 2%.

Hikes to rates by the Fed could restrain inflation, but they could also slow the economy and undercut prices for stocks and other investments. President Donald Trump, who nominated Warsh to lead the Fed, has lobbied for lower interest rates instead of higher.

Warsh has told financial markets that he does not want to give hints about what the Fed will do with interest rates, saying he wants to get direct, “unfiltered” messages from them rather than echoes back of what the Fed has suggested.

But “without clarifying why action was or wasn’t taken already, it’s hard to see how statements about being committed to hitting its inflation target aren’t just a bluff,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management.

“The Fed is facing a growing credibility problem,” economists at Bank of America wrote in a report. Unless data comes in showing less pressure on inflation in the interim, “it is imperative for the Fed to pass the September test by hiking rates and delivering an internally consistent narrative.”

In stock markets abroad, the swings were even wilder for chip stocks.

Seoul’s Kospi index soared 17.9% for its best day in history. The index is dominated by two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and both surged at least 26.8% on Friday.

The Kospi, though, still lost 22% in July despite Friday’s historic move. That’s after it more than doubled in the first six months of the year.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

Those decisions were put on hold until Tuesday. Kite did, however, grant the defense’s motion to limit what the State could ask criminal informants charged with crimes,

Fernandez, who is accused of hiring a gunman to murder Bridegan, his wife’s ex-husband, in a case that has garnered national attention, will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony.

Prosecutors announced during a hearing earlier this week that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.

NEW INFORMATION: Prosecutor drops bombshell in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case: Accused gunman was not alone on night of shooting

In what was expected to be his final pre-trial hearing, Fernandez and his attorneys asked Judge Kite to block testimony from a potential witness about a conversation she allegedly overheard between Fernandez and his now-estranged wife, Shanna Gardner.

They argue the testimony might be protected by legal privilege and hearsay rules.

Fernandez’s defense is also asking the state to provide more information about potential witnesses, including who might have received immunity, benefits or other considerations in exchange for agreeing to testify.

Jury selection for Fernandez, the first of three defendants to face trial in the case, will begin on Aug. 10.

RELATED: Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez briefly discussed plea deal with state in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Fernandez is accused, along with Gardner, of hiring Henry Tenon, a former tenant of Fernandez, to fatally shoot Bridegan, a 33-year-old father of four, in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Gardner, Fernandez and Tenon are all under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.

Gardner also appeared in court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing to address issues as her trial date looms after Fernandez.

After initially planning to try Gardner and Fernandez at the same time, defense attorneys and state prosecutors have since agreed that they should face separate trials, with two separate jury selection periods.

Fernandez will go on trial first, with jury selection slated for Aug. 10-14, and his trial scheduled for Aug. 17-28.

Gardner will go on trial after Fernandez, with jury selection from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, and the trial from Sept. 8-25.

Tenon, who is also expected in court on Monday, will go on trial in March.

In 2023, Tenon pleaded guilty and admitted to being the gunman who killed Bridegan, but he has since backtracked, and a judge granted his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

Timeline: How we got here

More than four years ago, Jared Bridegan dropped his then-9-year-old twin children off at the home of his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, after a “date night” with their dad.

He left Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home on Feb. 16, 2022, with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped in her car seat in the back of his dark-colored SUV. They were headed back to St. Augustine.

But the 33-year-old Microsoft employee never made it home.

Following his normal route through the Sanctuary neighborhood, Bridegan suddenly had to stop in the area of Jacksonville Drive, America Avenue and Sanctuary Boulevard.

A tire was in the road.

When Bridegan stepped out of his SUV, he was ambushed by gunfire. At least one bullet missed Bexley by mere inches in her car seat.

RELATED | Murder-for-hire plot included practice run along Jared Bridegan’s normal route home: prosecutors

Bridegan was left lying in the street next to the SUV with the door wide open, and the shooter seemed to melt into the shadows just as quickly as he had launched his ambush attack.

None of the 911 callers that night mentioned seeing a shooter or a vehicle leaving the scene.

LISTEN: Press play below to hear 911 calls from night of Jared Bridegan’s murder (WARNING: May include graphic content)

But eventually, detectives tracked down the man they say pulled the trigger.

Investigators say that it was all part of a murder-for-hire plot set in motion by Gardner and her second husband, Mario Fernandez. It was a conspiracy that began in November of 2021, according to court documents.

Interactive Timeline

Alleged murder-for-hire scheme

According to detectives, Gardner was tired of sharing custody of her twin children with Bridegan.

Fernandez, she knew, could “take care of him” because of his military background, Gardner told a friend. At least that’s what the friend told investigators as she detailed the strained marriage between Gardner and Fernandez and the contentious ongoing custody battle between Gardner and Bridegan.

RELATED: A friend of Shanna Gardner said she could help in Jared Bridegan’s murder case. Here’s what she told investigators | How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan

Investigators say that’s exactly what Fernandez did, hiring Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his properties, to kill Bridegan.

In his initial interview with police in July 2022, Tenon told investigators that he had been renting a home from Fernandez in Jacksonville’s Biltmore neighborhood for several years.

Tenon’s original court records said he became involved in the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 -- just over a month before Bridegan was killed.

Investigators said when Tenon was arrested on an unrelated felony driving charge in August 2022, they questioned him about Bridegan’s murder and a Ford F-150 truck they had been searching for since the shooting.

RELATED | Follow the money: Checks written to Jared Bridegan’s admitted killer connect him to 2 accused in ‘murder-for-hire plot’ | Jared Bridegan’s wife files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 accused in his murder

Tenon was later arrested in Bridegan’s murder, and investigators said the single link between Tenon and Bridegan was Fernandez.

Again, Tenon initially pleaded guilty, but has since withdrawn his guilty plea.

He is now under indictment for some of the same charges as Gardner and Fernandez.

Gardner is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

Tenon is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon and accessory after the fact.

State prosecutors initially said they would be seeking the death penalty against Gardner and Fernandez if they were convicted, but they have since taken the death penalty off the table, with the support of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, and his family.

The company pulled its application for an approximately 7.7-acre property at 600 State Road 13 North, the board said in a statement. The item had been scheduled for a public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 4; because of the withdrawal, it will not be considered at that meeting.

Fruit Cove residents have opposed a Daily’s gas station several times over the years.

Residents said the project would dramatically increase traffic and pose safety risks to the community. First Coast Energy purchased the property in 2016 and has made repeated attempts to develop it. A previous Daily’s proposal for the site was rejected by county commissioners in 2019.

On July 9, the planning and zoning board unanimously denied the proposal after First Coast Energy failed to submit a traffic study ahead of the meeting.

A resident, Chris Hewitt, pointed to an increase in crashes near the intersection over the past two years.

“If you look at traffic over the last two years, it’s significantly increased — accidents here at the same intersection. To believe that there’s not a safety risk from Daily’s coming in, adding all of that traffic, large trucks — it’s nonsense,” Hewitt said.

The withdrawal leaves the proposal off the county commission agenda for now.

Michael Woulard, 50, was sentenced to 14 years and 10 months in federal prison for robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Woulard pleaded guilty March 16, 2026.

Three robberies in four months

Court documents show Woulard carried out three armed robberies between October 2023 and February 2024.

On Oct. 10, 2023, Woulard robbed a Value Pawn shop in Jacksonville, stealing goods valued at approximately $45,945.

On Nov. 25, 2023, Woulard robbed a Kay Jewelers store in Jacksonville, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol at employees and stealing jewelry valued at approximately $352,623.66.

On Feb. 20, 2024, Woulard robbed a Kay Jewelers store in Ocala, again brandishing a semi-automatic pistol at employees and stealing jewelry valued at approximately $364,752.56.

Arrested with stolen goods, admitted to robberies

Woulard was arrested the day after the Ocala robbery — Feb. 21, 2024 — while in possession of numerous stolen items from that third heist.

During a voluntary interview with investigators from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala Police Department, Woulard admitted to committing the jewelry store robberies.

Restitution ordered

In addition to his prison sentence, Woulard was ordered to pay $442,582.59 in restitution to the victims.

Ceuta’s president put the number of migrants at 60,000, which was equivalent to 70% of the territory's population. But most of them soon went back, the Spanish government said, after the sudden arrival of so many people sparked a humanitarian crisis.

Some migrants swam several miles through the sea and faced down authorities who tried to turn them back with water cannons, tear gas and warning shots. Those who died included some who drowned or were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint.

Spain deployed its armed forces and additional police to restore order in Ceuta, which sits on the Strait of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and has been a Spanish possession since 1580. On the Moroccan side of the border, security forces clashed with migrants. The chaos also had ripple effects abroad, with Italy and France pledging to tighten their controls on people arriving from Spain.

“The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable,” Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas told journalists.

Meanwhile, migrants from Morocco also attempted to cross into Melilla, Spain’s other territory at the tip of North Africa, where they clashed with police.

Spanish prime minister condemns border breach

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and condemned the border breach, which he described as “a violation of Spain's territorial integrity.”

Sánchez blamed human smugglers for the crisis, saying they “deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths,” whether in the ocean or in the city.

The Spanish Interior Ministry released its own figures shortly after Vivas spoke, estimating that some 50,000 people had crossed from Morocco since Thursday. It added that 48,300 had already returned to Morocco by Friday evening, with hundreds more going back by the hour.

Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis,” saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly.

“It’s chaotic,” Sbihi said.

The Moroccan Interior Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the migrant figures released by the Spanish authorities.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the images from Ceuta were “unacceptable.”

“We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules,” she said Friday in an online statement. “Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow.”

Dozens died in the chaos

Some of the 57 people who died had drowned, Sbihi said, but some were also killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal Beach, an urban beach near a border checkpoint with Morocco. The waters near the border fence were littered with buoys, shoes and other abandoned belongings.

Many young Moroccans who crossed into Ceuta told The Associated Press that they had hoped to find better work opportunities in Spain but were returning given the mayhem in Ceuta.

“There’s nothing at home. I’d have to work 12-hour shifts for a meager wage. That’s why I came here,” said 21-year-old Abdulah Buji, who hails from the city of Tetouan. “But I haven’t found any opportunities here either, so I have to go back.”

Moroccan police used water cannons and fired warning shots into the air to prevent migrants from crossing into Ceuta, according to rights groups in Morocco.

Morocco’s ambassador to Spain said the situation in Ceuta had unfolded against Morocco’s wishes.

“We have always prioritized legal, orderly and safe migration for all,” Karima Benyaich said. She did not comment on what prompted the migrants to cross into Ceuta.

To reach Ceuta, on the northern African coast, migrants often swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, covering about 3 miles (5 kilometers) to reach Spanish territory. Others attempt the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.

Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid have linked the border surge to a recent decision by the Spanish Supreme Court, which ruled that migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence.

Sánchez said migrant smugglers misinterpreted the ruling.

The interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling “spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organizations,” triggering the surge, Sánchez said.

Spain has bucked anti-immigration trend

Sánchez has bucked the anti-migration trend that has gained ground across Europe and in the U.S.

Earlier this year, his government moved to give residency and work permits to hundreds of thousands of migrants already living in the country without permission.

Sánchez, a Socialist, argued that it would be good for the economy and the demographics of an aging Spain. Migrants who entered irregularly after Jan. 1 this year were not included.

His critics jumped at the opportunity to attack his policy, saying it encouraged more migrants to come.

“Sánchez allows Spain to be invaded through Ceuta,” Spanish conservative politician Isabel Díaz Ayuso wrote on X.

The U.S. expressed its support for “the people of Spain, and all Europeans, against this egregious violation of their sovereignty and human rights.”

In a post on X, the State Department added that “this unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe.”

Sánchez on Friday defended his migration policy and distanced it from the events in Ceuta.

In the tumult, Italy temporarily suspended its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain, reimposing border controls for air and sea. The Interior Ministry said the decision amounted to a “closure” of the borders, but experts said it was merely a resumption of border controls. The agreement allows travelers to fly between the two countries without presenting passports.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said France would also strengthen border checks with Spain.

The crisis in Ceuta “has nothing to do with the regularization of migrants adopted by the Government of Spain, as is being falsely claimed by some,” the Spanish government said in a statement late Thursday after Meloni's announcement.

Pressure grows on second Spanish territory in Africa

Migrants from Morocco also attempted to cross into Melilla, the other Spanish territory at the tip of North Africa.

There was widespread chaos in Bni Nsar, the Moroccan town bordering the Spanish territory, where migrants clashed with police, throwing rocks and setting police vehicles ablaze, according to local media and rights groups. They reported injuries among security forces and the arrest of dozens of people attempting to cross.

Like Ceuta, Melilla is a self-governing Spanish city. Many Moroccans consider both cities to be occupied territory.

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Naishadham reported from Madrid. Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain. Associated Press journalists Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain; Akram Oubachir in Casablanca, Morocco; and Antonio Sempere in Ceuta, Spain, contributed.

The two parties signed an agreement dated July 31 in which the JAA agreed to refrain from filing suit and both the city and the authority asked the 2027 Florida Legislature to provide “clear direction as to the structure, roles, and responsibilities of the JAA,” the agreement says.

The move ends a standoff that intensified after the JAA’s board on July 16 voted to allow outside counsel to file a lawsuit on or after Aug. 16 if the dispute was not resolved.

The dispute centers on whether the City Council overstepped its authority in matters related to the airport budget and on what expenditures the JAA can make under Federal Aviation Administration rules, the agreement says.

In a joint statement, the JAA said it “stands ready and willing to partner with the City of Jacksonville and the State of Florida to serve the people of our region and users of the JAA’s four-airport system while fostering economic growth for the community.” The statement said the authority seeks to operate “in ways that are consistent with federal law, existing contracts, and the JAA’s charter.”

The agreement notes that the JAA was created by the Florida Legislature and is an independent public agency that does not receive regular funding from the city. It also says a majority of the JAA board is appointed by the governor, while the mayor appoints three members subject to City Council confirmation.

The parties said they were informed of the intent by House leadership to seek legislative action next year and urged that the Legislature provide clarity during its 2027 session.

Friday marks the last day of a contract under which the federal government pays for legal services for children who enter the U.S. without a parent or guardian. The government contracts out those services to a network of nearly 100 legal groups across the country that provide services to roughly 20,000 children.

The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why it was allowing the contract to expire. But it comes as the administration has redoubled its efforts to achieve its policy of mass deportations, and after migrant children became a target for removal from the country during the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

As part of the expiring contract, the legal groups can enter government-funded shelters and give presentations to children about their legal rights, and directly represent the children as they go through immigration court proceedings.

But as that contract ends, the providers say it’s unclear what will happen come Monday or whether they'll be able to visit their clients in the shelters where they live.

“We have no understanding of what’s going to happen to those children come next week. We don’t know if they’re going to have legal representation. The government as of yet has not identified who will take over this representation,” said Melissa Lopez, the executive director of Estrella El Paso, during a news conference earlier this week. The organization currently represents 243 unaccompanied children in western Texas and New Mexico.

The providers say their ability to enter the shelters, check on their clients and give presentations to new arrivals serves as an important oversight measure for a vulnerable population. The providers warn that without a lawyer to assist them in court and help them navigate the complexities of immigration law, children will be much more likely to be deported back to countries they initially fled.

“The government is trying to eliminate our work in this program because they know that without attorneys children will be deported,” said Lopez.

Health and Human Services, which is responsible for caring for unaccompanied migrant children while they are in government care and which administers the contract, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

In a Texas immigration court, children play with action figures as lawyer warns of future

Dozens of children and teens filed early Friday morning into the Harlingen courthouse for a hearing before an immigration judge. In the lobby, other children waiting for their hearings played with puzzles and action figures or drew in coloring books.

One 8-year-old boy walked into the courtroom holding an Etch-a-Sketch as he sat next to his attorney.

These were children who had come to the U.S. without a parent or guardian and now their cases were making their way through the immigration courts. But Lauren Fisher Flores, an attorney for the American Bar Association’s ProBar project, which is contracted to provide legal services in southwestern Texas, warned the court of the looming contract expiration.

She explained that come Monday, lawyers wouldn't be able to provide the legal information sessions that they usually give to children in shelters that let children know their rights and lawyers also would no longer be able to step in and provide the “Friend of the Court” services where they assist those children who sometimes show up in court without a lawyer. Fisher Flores said the organization didn't know what the government's plan was going forward.

“We sincerely hope there will be someone to step in next week,” she said.

The judge thanked the attorney and said she was sorry to hear the news.

Legal groups already laying off staff after months of no payments

The end of the contract comes as the legal service providers representing these children say they have not been paid for more than half a year. The organizations say that the Trump administration has been withholding payments as it demands detailed information from the providers about their clients that the providers say they have never been asked for before and that they ethically cannot provide.

“They are clearly trying to destroy the program by grinding down the financial health of nonprofits. We’ve seen layoffs and furloughs, and we will see a lot more of that if these invoices aren’t paid,” said Michael Lukens, the executive director of the Amica Center

Some groups have been trying to secure private funding to continue their work, while others have begun laying off staff and shuttering offices. ProBar in south Texas this week laid off 20% of its staff.

Mid-South Immigration Advocates is a nonprofit law firm based in Memphis, Tennessee, which helps over 400 unaccompanied minors. The organization’s legal director, Sally Joyner, said the organization is owed over $500,000 from the federal government to reimburse them for their work with the children. They've already had to lay off seven employees since 2025 and more layoffs are planned. They're closing their physical offices in Nashville and Memphis at the end of September and expect to close their law firm entirely soon.

As their budget tightens, she said they're doing everything they can to continue representing the children who are their clients. She warns that without attorneys to represent them, migrant children, including infants and teens, could be ordered deported in the coming weeks.

“These are kids who have been living in our communities, going to our schools for you know three, four, five years,” Joyner said. “Some of them they only know the United States and will have gone to high school, graduate high school just in time for ICE to send them to prison.”

Migrant children coming to the U.S. alone usually have special protections

Migrant children traveling alone are usually entrusted to U.S. government care, and there are various legal protections that apply to them once they’re in the U.S. and navigating the immigration system, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.

The law said the government should facilitate legal representation for children put into deportation proceedings.

With some limited exceptions, it requires that children be placed in the “least restrictive setting possible,” which generally means they can be released to a sponsor, such as a relative in the U.S., while their immigration proceedings play out.

The children can apply for a specially protected status if they can’t return to their home country because of abuse or neglect and they can also apply for asylum.

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Santana reported from Sacramento. Associated Press reporter Laura Turbay in Little Rock contributed to this report.

The Jaguars are thrilled to see Travis Hunter back on the field.

It’s been nine long months since Hunter, the unicorn of a football player who won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024, last saw the field as a fully-functioning Jaguars player.

“It’s been great to be back,” Hunter said.

Jacksonville made the biggest draft dray trade in franchise history last year when it moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 to select Hunter. The Jaguars envisioned Hunter possessing the skills on both sides of the ball to elevate the game itself.

The results were mixed. Hunter had flickers on offense, including a career-best 101 yards and a touchdown in a Week 7 game against the Rams. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice the following week and missed the rest of the season. He was cleared to resume full speed practicing before training camp.

“Just get the rust off right now,” Hunter said. “I’ve been gone for nine months, not able to be out here with my teammates for nine months, so finally being able to hit the grass, knock the rust off and just continue to click with the quarterbacks and click with the defense.”

Jacksonville has said throughout the offseason that it expected to keep playing Hunter on both sides of the ball.

Hunter has gotten more work on the defensive side during the first three days of training camp. He’s expected to start opposite Buster Brown at cornerback. Jacksonville has continued to keep Hunter on a tight schedule as it tries to maximize his reps between corner and receiver. He flips from his white defensive jersey to his teal offensive jersey throughout camp days.

“They’re so crucial to have the time, and you have to be extremely intentional with that time when we have him because it is limited,” said head coach Liam Coen. “I mean, just per side of the ball, especially right now offensively, it’s just over here a little bit less when you’re doing some of the individual work, and it’s showing a little bit with some of the timing that we need to continue to work on, and that’s why those guys get some more extra work after practice.”

QB tracker:

Trevor Lawrence: 11 for 19, five TDs (BTJ 3, Meyers 1, Washington 1; 1 interception (Jarrian Jones)

Nick Mullens: 8 for 20, 3 TDs (Austin Trammell 2, Tanner Koziol 1); 2 interceptions (Jarrian Jones and Branson Combs)

Carter Bradley: 1 for 2.

Joey Aguilar: 1 for 2, TD (J’Mari Taylor).

RB tracker:

Bhayshul Tuten: Four carries all with Trevor Lawrence.

LeQuint Allen: Three carries all with Lawrence.

Ameer Abdullah: Five carries all with Nick Mullens.

DeeJay Dallas: Two carries. One with Lawrence and one with Mullens.

J’Mari Taylor: Two carries, TD.

Personnel groupings:

11 personnel: 35/44 = 79.5%

12 personnel: 6/44 = 13.6%

13 personnel: 3/44 = 6.8%

Arik Armstead had a veterans day off.

Player of the day:

This one was a no-brainer. Jarrian Jones was on one! He wrecked shop! Jones came up with two interceptions but a nice PBU. One of his interceptions came off of Lawrence in the red zone. Lawrence was looking for Parker Washington on as little out route but Jones read it and jumped it. This may be the single most dominant defensive practice I have seen from a Jaguars player in my time covering the team.

The big note from this practice is that Anton Harrison spent the day at left tackle, and Walker Little spent the day at right tackle. The coaching staff loves versatility along the O-line and to try out different combos, so seeing this is a surprise. But this isn’t just a test-it-out type of look right now; the question is who should start at left tackle if Cole Van Lanen isn’t ready Week 1. It wouldn’t surprise me if that person ends up being Anton Harrison. He has spent his entire NFL career up until now at right tackle, but he played left tackle in college.

The linebacker battle between Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller is absolute cinema. These two have been throwing haymakers back and forth each day. Combs made a jumping interception off a pass from Nick Mullens. Miller responded by getting a diving pass breakup a few plays later. These two have both been making plays; this will be a tough battle to judge.

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

Joey Mendoza Atkins

The Democratic candidate is in the process of completing the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. Whenresponses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Campaign website: www.joeyforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube

Donald “Don” Prichard

Occupation: Law Enforcement Captain with 25+ years of experience.

Age: 44

Family: I have been married to my husband, Skylar, since 2017. We share our home with three beloved dogs, a toy Australian Shephard, a Jack Russel Terrier, and a Yorkshire Terrier, who are very much a part of our family.

Education: MBA - Western Governor’s University

Bachelors in Intelligence Studies - American Military University

Certified Law Enforcement Officer - Police Academy at Broward College.

Political experience: Although I have not previously held elected office, my career has been dedicated to public service, leadership, and working with government at every level. Throughout my career, I have led teams, managed complex operations, worked with elected officials and community leaders, and helped address issues affecting Floridians. I have also served as the president of a law enforcement union representing more than 1200 deputies and sergeants, where I negotiated with government officials, advocated for employees, and worked on issues impacting public safety and local governments.

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

1. Provide innovative leadership that will ensure food safety and promote a strong and sustainable Florida agriculture industry by building partnerships, programs, and developing further education of the industry.

2. Increase Consumer protection by Strengthening the Consumer Services Division to provide aggressive protection for Florida consumers against fraud, scams, and other illicit business activities.

3. As one of only four members of the Florida Cabinet with an equal vote on statewide issues, I will assert the independent authority of my office and not act as a rubber stamp for the governor.

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

As a native Floridian who has served this state and nation as a soldier, law enforcement professional, a union president, and a community volunteer, I believe that I have the skills, knowledge, and ability to lead this agency and work to improve the lives of all Floridians. And am prepared to do so from Day 1. I have spent my life making tough decisions, solving real problems, and standing up for people who are forgotten or overlooked.

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

If I have the privilege of serving, I hope to be remembered as the commissioner who restored confidence in the office by putting Floridians first and leaving the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stronger, more transparent, and more accountable to the people, providing an office that has integrity, accessibility, and effective leadership.

Campaign website: In Progress

Campaign social media: In Progress

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Wilton Simpson

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Campaign website: wiltonsimpson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

Matt Taylor

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Campaign website: treadback.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

A write-in candidate, Kyle KC Gibson, 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 party 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 published exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway

Occupation: Supreme Court Mediator and Arbitrator

Age: 56

Family: Fourth of six generations in Duval County.

Education: Juris Doctorate-University of Florida Levin College of Law

Post graduate studies at Harvard University School of Public Health (Epidemiology and Biostatistics)

Political experience: (No answer)

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

(No answer)

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

I am the ONLY CANDIDATE who has FEDERAL EXPERIENCE and the work and scope of the U. S. House of Representatives from Member to Constituent Services to make laws and control spending.

I not only worked for Congresswoman Carrie Meek who was on the Appropriations Committee. I also worked for the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in both the Clinton and Reagan administration(s).

Further, I negotiated the largest deal in history at U. S. Customs (at the time) as an Account Executive at Lexis Nexis and served as a Director in the Executive Office of the Mayor in Washington, D. C. during the Fenty Administration further enhancing my skills and abilities in Government.

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

I hope to be remembered as the Representative who served the will of the PEOPLE and did NOT accept PAC money.

As the Member of Congress who made the lives of Americans better and more affordable for working families.

Campaign website: www.hollowayforcongress.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Michael Kirwan

Campaign website: votekirwan.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | BlueSky | YouTube

The Democratic candidate is in the process of completing the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. When responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Brit Robinson

Occupation: I am an interior designer and tailor by trade. The Department of Veterans Affairs hired me in 2024 to be a GS-11 Interior Designer, but with the new Trump administration, my offer was rescinded. I’ve worked since the age of 14 in a variety of fields, including food service, retail, legal & tax services, fine arts and interior design. Now, my only job is to fight for the people of District 4 to ensure the needs and desires of the district are properly represented in Congress, and create the desperately needed changes to make life not just comfortable, but joyful too. The People deserve stability and happiness.

Age: 31

Family: Husband

Education: BA in Textile Arts, Maryland Institute College of Art - focused on garment-making & costuming and earned through my dad’s GI Bill benefits. A lot of my studies were about social justice and advocacy and gave me the foundation of knowledge of the systems of exploitation and cruelty in our country that we desperately need to fix.

Political experience: None.

I got into this race as a military spouse and working-class candidate because I saw a small window of opportunity rapidly closing to protect our communities and resist an authoritarian government. The majority of Americans can’t afford their basic needs while the rich get richer, the Trump administration is dismantling our government for it’s own financial gain, and our Representative, Aaron Bean, is not working for his constituents considering his primary donor is AIPAC, followed by various corporate interests. Our district deserves to have a Representative who prioritizes its people – not greed and foreign interests.

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

1) Free Universal Healthcare - Healthcare is a human right. No one should struggle to see a doctor. We must expand Medicare for All to provide free universal healthcare for all Americans, including dental, hearing & vision care; Protect reproductive freedom & bodily autonomy for all; Expand social programs like SNAP & universal free school meals to ensure healthy food is available for all.

2) Get Money Out of Politics / Hold Trump Administration Accountable - We must work to overturn Citizens United, curbing corporate financial influence in our elections and throughout the government; strengthen anti-corruption laws & ban stock trading for lawmakers; Abolish & prosecute ICE; release the Epstein files; and prosecute all of Trump administration for their crimes.

3) End the Iran War & Israel’s Genocide in Gaza - Reclaim Congress’s power to instigate military action; Reduce military budget, force DOD to pass their audit to limit military industrial complex, & end American imperialism; Stop sending all aid to Israel & label AIPAC as a foreign agent unable to donate in American elections.

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

We need representatives who are not career politicians and will not prioritize corporate interests over constituents. When only 2% of our Representatives in Congress come from working-class backgrounds, it’s time for serious change.

I have the personal experience to have seen both the best and worst part of the American government and its systems. I have experienced firsthand the catastrophic effects of a family member not having health insurance. But I also have utilized socialized programs throughout my life through military family benefits and understand how essential it is to have quality healthcare, education, and housing, and am fighting for everyone to have the same access.

A huge focus of my campaign thus far has been coalition building with people and organizations within Jacksonville, throughout Florida, and across the country. We are stronger together and we can create monumental positive change if we focus on uplifting the voices of the People.

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

That the needs of the People are my sole priority and that I can’t be bought or intimidated to be quiet – even by our own Democratic Party. That I call out all hypocrisy and prejudice, and that I am fully dedicated to improving everyday people’s lives through systemic change.

Campaign website: www.brit4congress.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Aaron Bean

Occupation: U.S. Representative, Florida Congressional District 4

Age: 59

Family: Wife, Abby, who is a fifth-generation Clay Countian, along with three now-grown sons, and one grandchild with a second grandchild expected in November.

Education: Jacksonville University, B.S. Finance

Political experience: I was elected to Congress on November 8, 2022. Prior to being elected to Congress, I spent 10 years in the Florida Senate after serving eight years in the Florida House of Representatives. Early on, I also served my hometown, while raising a family and running a small business, as a city commissioner and mayor of Fernandina Beach.

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

Inflation and the cost of living; patient access, affordability, and transparency in health care; and securing our borders and keeping our communities safe.

I’ll continue working to lower costs and make life more affordable for American families. That means getting government spending under control, promoting policies that help our economy grow, and making sure Washington lives within its means. We’ve already delivered real relief for working families through the Working Families Tax Cut – the largest tax cut in American history – so workers can keep more of what they earn, including no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits. We also took another important step by passing the Rescissions Act of 2025, which was signed into law and rescinds $9 billion in unnecessary and wasteful federal spending. I’ll continue fighting for commonsense, fiscally responsible policies that strengthen our economy, protect taxpayers, and help ensure every dollar goes further for hardworking Americans.

Our health care system is too costly, too complicated, and too often leaves patients waiting longer and paying more for the care they need. If we’re serious about improving health care, we need to put patients first by expanding access to doctors, increasing price transparency, and making care more affordable. That starts with strengthening our health care workforce by expanding medical residency opportunities so more physicians can serve communities across the country. We also need to do a better job of promoting preventive care, because helping people stay healthy is better for patients and helps lower costs over the long run. I’ll keep fighting for commonsense solutions that improve access to care – like the HSAs For All Act that I introduced to expand access to Health Savings Accounts and give hardworking Americans more control over their healthcare dollars – increase affordability, empower patients with greater transparency, and deliver better outcomes for the American people.

Keeping our border secure is essential to our national security and helps protect communities here at home. I’ll continue working to strengthen border security while ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. That commitment also extends to the officers who serve in our own communities, as well as their four-legged partners, which is why I introduced the LEO K9 Protection Act to strengthen protections for the police dogs and horses that work alongside law enforcement every day. I’ll also continue fighting for our veterans and ensuring they receive the benefits they’ve earned. Whether it’s supporting those who protect our border, keeping our neighborhoods safe, or standing up for those who have served our nation, I’ll continue fighting for commonsense policies that put the safety and well-being of Americans first.

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

Serving Northeast Florida has always been about people, not politics. I have a servant’s heart, and I believe the best way to represent this community is to show up, listen, and be accessible to the people who sent me to Washington. That’s why I’m constantly meeting with families, small business owners, veterans, law enforcement, seniors, and community leaders to hear what’s on their minds, so that I can take those priorities with me to Congress. My job is to be your voice, to fight for the issues that matter most to Northeast Florida, and to deliver results. I’ll continue working every day to listen, stay engaged, and be a strong voice for the people of Northeast Florida—because serving this community is the greatest honor of my life.

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

I hope I’m remembered as a representative who was present, accessible, and never forgot who I worked for. From day one, my goal has been to listen, stay engaged, and fight for the people of Northeast Florida, regardless of party affiliation. I also hope our office is remembered for providing outstanding constituent service—because helping people navigate the federal government and solve problems is one of the most important parts of this job. Most of all, I hope people remember that when I made a promise, I worked hard to keep it. Whether it’s delivering results on issues like addressing patient access, affordability, and transparency in health care, promoting fiscal responsibility, or strengthening our nation’s security, I’ve always believed that public service is about earning people’s trust through action.

Campaign website: aaronbean.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

FLORIDA FORWARD CANDIDATE

Mike Sell

Occupation: Mike is a certified operational excellence professional with more than two decades spent fixing complex, broken systems, most of that work inside the U.S. healthcare industry. He built his expertise through rigorous professional certification, earning master’s-level credentials including his Six Sigma Black Belt and Shingo Operational Excellence Assessor designations.

Over his career, Mike has led projects that generated more than a quarter of a billion dollars in documented savings for major organizations in healthcare and human resources. He did it not by cutting services, but by cutting the waste, redundancy, and dysfunction that drain those systems. He has sat at the executive tables where decisions affecting millions of people get made, and he has seen firsthand how complexity gets used to hide fraud, waste, and extraction from the people who can least afford it.

Alongside that work, Mike spent fifteen years building and leading organizations focused on bringing people together and widening opportunity, well before he ever considered public office. He is also the founder of a not-for-profit built on the belief that access to information is a right, and that technology should open doors rather than close them.

Age: 42

Family: Mike is a devoted husband and father. He and his partner have been together for more than two decades and raised three children, now grown and setting out on their own paths. Family is at the center of why he is running. He often says he is doing this for his own kids and for everyone else’s, so the next generation inherits a country that still works for them.

Service runs three generations deep in Mike’s family. His grandfather served 26 years in the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, completing four submarine tours. His father served 20 years and retired from Naval Air Station Jacksonville as an Instructor Flight Engineer on the P-3 Orion. Both of Mike’s brothers served as well, one as a Marine and one in military law enforcement and security. Mike grew up inside that culture of duty and sacrifice, and it shaped everything he understands about what military families carry and what this country owes the people who serve it.

Education: Mike originally went to school for political science, but he found his real calling in operational excellence, the work of fixing broken systems and making them serve people better. He built master’s-level expertise in that field through rigorous professional certification, earning his Six Sigma Black Belt and Shingo Operational Excellence Assessor credentials, along with years of continuing training in leadership and continuous improvement. In a way, this run for office brings both halves of that path back together.

Political experience: Mike has not held elected office, and he sees that as part of what he offers. His experience is on the organizing side of politics rather than the career-politician side. Over the past year he has helped lead a local Indivisible chapter, where part of his work has been finding and supporting good candidates who will fight for their communities. He has spent two decades in community and civic organizing, building coalitions and bringing people together across differences, and he completed formal training as a community organizer. His approach to politics comes from that grounding: start with the people closest to the problem, listen first, and build the solution around them rather than around the interests already in power.

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

Cost of living. Families here are squeezed by housing, insurance, healthcare, and grocery prices rising faster than paychecks, and homeowner insurance in particular is pricing people out of homes they already own. Mike would fight to raise wages, take on price gouging, and treat the insurance crisis as the federal problem it is.

Healthcare access and cost. Too many families in this district are choosing between a prescription and groceries, and the Northside and Westside carry the highest concentration of uninsured and Medicaid-dependent residents. Mike would fully fund the community health centers that serve as the front door to care, protect Medicaid, and let Medicare negotiate the price of every covered drug.

A government that has stopped listening. This district has changed, and its representation has not kept pace with the people who live here now. Mike takes no corporate money, so he answers to this district and no one else, and he would measure success by whether life actually got better for the people he serves.

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

Mike takes no corporate money and answers to no party machine, so he is free to represent this district and no one else. He brings 20 years of fixing broken systems, the exact skill this job actually requires, and he is demonstrating a new way to run: a fraction of a normal budget, reaching voters directly, proving a qualified person can win without selling access first. Voters get a representative whose time and loyalty already belong to them, not to donors he owes before taking office.

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

Mike hopes to be remembered as someone who helped shift the trajectory of our nation back toward something future generations can be proud of. Not one bill or one term, but a turning point, where we started fixing broken systems instead of managing their decline, and where government began answering to people again instead of money. He wants his kids and everyone else’s to inherit a country that works, and to know it bent back in the right direction because ordinary people decided it had to.

Campaign website: www.mikesell.org

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

NO PARTY AFFILIATION CANDIDATE

Todd Schaefer

Occupation: Retired USN

Age: 47

Family: Son-24

Education: (No answer)

Political experience: None

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

1. We can argue until we are blue in the face that we need to get money out of politics, but in light of the most recent SCOTUS decision giving more power to donors through parties, that isn’t going to happen overnight. For now we need to get back to the basics and understand that politics IS money, as Congress controls the purse. My bill, the American Prosperity Card Act, will bring transparency back to the creation of money and how we benefit from or pay for it.

2. Housing prices are out of control. The bipartisan housing bill, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, that is sitting on Trump’s desk is a good step in the right direction, however it still has loopholes so that it just addresses some symptoms of the larger problem. Bean even voted against that mild fix. I’d propose legislation to close the straight line depreciation loophole that landlords use to enjoy tax benefits on appreciating assets. Another angle I’d approach is reigning in the lax lending standards that allow mortgages for investment properties as opposed to small business loans. A small business would kill for a 30yr fixed rate loan. This subsidizes and provides an explicit guarantee which has inflated home prices over decades.

3. We need healthcare reform. Obama ran on a public option and instead we got the ACA. This has put us in a position where health costs can continue to rise and our government is simply forced to continue to raise subsidies to pay for it. The industry understands they can continue to raise costs unimpeded, because it has become political suicide to take away healthcare. Even Republicans agree that a larger healthcare pool reduces risk and therefore costs. The logic of that leads to a national public option, since the largest possible pool is the whole country. Any legislation to continue subsidies has to include language to expand Medicare to a public option.

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

You cannot apply to a party first and then tell voters you are going to serve them. Anyone who doesn’t fall in line in recent years has been cast aside by their party. The Republicans were just as happy to rid themselves of Massie and MTG as the Democrats were to ditch Bush and Bowman in ’24. The SCOTUS ruling this week unleashed the parties in their ability to spend unlimited money for loyalty. That isn’t governance. That is control by two for-profit private corporations that call themselves ‘parties’. I’m running to represent the people of FL-04 first and only.

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

My APCA bill getting passed. We have the tools in place to reverse five decades of failed fiscal policy. We just need the will to utilize them. That will give Americans a little breathing room and clarity on spending so that we can have honest conversations about what we demand of our government. Not big or small, but exactly the size we collectively agree to pay for.

Campaign website: toddforfl4.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

Broadcasters like ABC, Carr said in an interview on the Fox Business Network, “struck a deal with the American people. You broadcasters get subsidized access, free access to a valuable public resource, the airwaves, worth billions of dollars. In exchange, you have to operate in the public interest.”

“Look, as a country, we should have a trusted, respected news media, and we’re not there,” Carr told anchor Maria Bartiromo. “So I hope more broadcasters return to their public interest obligations.”

The FCC has been pushing ABC

The remarks came a day after ABC, issuing another salvo in an ever-escalating battle with President Donald Trump’s FCC, again accused the agency of a brazen attempt to chill its constitutionally protected free speech — and by extension, that of every media outlet in the country.

ABC accused the agency of retaliating against it simply because it doesn't like the political content of ABC’s shows.

The network's new comments came in its latest filing to the agency, expressing its formal opposition to the FCC's early review, launched in April, of eight ABC local broadcast licenses well before they expire.

“There is no question why the Commission is singling out these eight stations,” the filing said. “Each is owned by ABC, and the Administration has openly and repeatedly called for the revocation of ABC’s licenses, because it dislikes the content and viewpoints expressed on ABC network programs.”

“The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country,” it continued. “Accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price. … The tools vary; the objective does not: a media industry too fearful of official reprisal to report the news freely. “

The license review is only one part of a long-simmering confrontation between ABC and the FCC. The network is also battling Carr’s efforts to make "The View,” a talk show whose hosts and guests have frequently angered Trump, subject to equal-time rules — a question ABC says the agency itself resolved more than two decades ago.

The rules require granting equal airtime to competing candidates for office. Bona fide news programs are exempt. The FCC qualified the show as such in a 2002 decision.

Kimmel has also been a target

Trump has also repeatedly called for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired.

When the FCC launched its early review of ABC’s licenses in April, it came amid a fight with Kimmel over a joke that offended Trump. The agency, however, cited diversity, equity and inclusion practices at the company, and Carr brought them up in the Fox interview.

Operating in the public interest, he said, “means you can’t run news distortions, broadcast hoax. You can’t be engaging in this invidious form of DEI discrimination.” He did not elaborate.

In its filing Thursday, ABC referred to over 140,000 comments from viewers, part of the public comment period on the issue, posted to the FCC website — more than 95% of which it said were supportive of ABC’s position.

“The outpouring of support for the Stations has been unprecedented for a license renewal proceeding," it said. “These supporters span the ideological spectrum but share a fundamental commitment to free speech and press freedom.”

In its lengthy filing, ABC also noted how rare it is that the FCC would call for early license renewal applications.

“Until the day before the Commission took this step, it had not called for license renewal applications ahead of schedule for more than fifty years,” ABC said. “The Commission’s departure from those norms lays bare what is really going on: the Administration is retaliating against ABC for the exercise of its First Amendment rights.

"That alone should stop these proceedings in their tracks.“

___

Jocelyn Noveck covers the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press.

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 published exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE

Jason Bellamy-Fults

Occupation: Academic Technology, University of Florida

Age: 51

Family: Wife: Shernee Bellamy-Fults

Education: Bachelor of Arts from Berea College, Magna Cum Laude

Major: Biology.

Master of Arts in Education (Concentration - Educational Technology) from the University of Florida.

Political experience: No prior elected office.

Served as Vice Chair of Gainesville City Commissions’ Utility Advisory Board, February 2020-September 2023.

Board Chair, Community Weatherization Coalition.

Recording Secretary, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1205.

Delegate to the North Central Florida Central Labor Council on behalf of IBEW local 1205.

Multi-year participant in the Florida AFL-CIO Working Family Lobby Corps in our state capitol.

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

Affordability/Cost of Living

-accepting our federal tax dollars to expand Medicaid eligibility in FL

-better regulating utilities in the best interests of ratepayers

-supporting workers’ rights to collective organizing, better wages

Local control

-stop the endless overreach by Tallahassee and allow greater community control over decisions that affect us

-roll back unnecessary preemptions that have already passed and empower local communities

Anti-corruption

-I am not accepting donations from big business interests and seek to be accountable to the constituents that I hope to serve

-stopping monopoly utilities from making political contributions

-calling out and pushing back against the pay-to-play politics that current run Tallahassee

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

I’m not just running on promises. I have a proven track record in my community of fighting for working people’s rights: stopping wage theft, improving wages, access to healthcare, and union protections. I’ve also helped hundreds of people throughout my community lower their utility bills. I’ve been an adult educator and trained apprentice electricians. And, unlike my opponent, I have not collected millions of dollars in checks from special interests. I will be beholden only to the voters of my district and will fight for them.

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

More people having access to healthcare, and collective bargaining rights, higher wages, lower utility bills. A rollback of unnecessary preemptions on our communities and attacks on our union families. More spending for education in our state. And better protection of our precious natural resources, particularly our fresh water.

Campaign website: www.takingbackflorida.org

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | BlueSky

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Jennifer Bradley

Campaign website: votejenniferbradley.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The incumbent Republican, first elected in 2020, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

AMERICAN SOLIDARITY CANDIDATE

Joseph Thornton

Campaign website: thorntonforhumandignity.com

Campaign social media: None found

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

After being driven past two businesses relevant to the narrative of the January 2023 killings, jurors were escorted in groups of six to view the inside of the house, including the basement where the children died. During the roughly 40-minute visit, the jury also saw the yard where Clancy was found after jumping from a second-story window.

Journalists were kept away by a police barricade, but court officers could be seen through the trees escorting jurors to and from the bus along the site of the Clancy family’s former driveway. The home now has a new owner.

Clancy herself did not attend the visit to the home, which she hasn't seen since the day of the killings. Her lawyers argue she was in the grip of postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness linked to the stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes that follow childbirth.

___

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.

___

Jurors in U.S. criminal cases often are expressly told not to visit the scene of the events in question. There are a number of rationales for not doing so — among other things, the site may have changed in the interim between an alleged crime and a trial.

But courts sometimes allow juries to make a supervised excursion as a group, for reasons that can include assessing distances or features that aren’t thought to come across fully in photos.

Such excursions have happened in a number of high-profile cases, including the 2023 murder trial of South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, the 2022 sentencing trial of Parkland, Florida, school shooter Nikolas Cruz, the 2015 Massachusetts murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez and the 1995 murder trial of O.J. Simpson.

Jurors in Clancy's trial retraced the route her then-husband, Patrick Clancy, took when she asked him to pick up takeout food and medicine for daughter Cora on the night of the killings. He returned to find the children dead and his then-wife badly injured and bleeding in the yard.

The panel was driven past the restaurant — about 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) from the family’s former home in Duxbury, a town south of Boston — and the pharmacy, about a mile (1.6 km) from the house.

Prosecutors say the errands were a ruse to get her husband out of the house. They say Lindsay Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, acted intentionally and is criminally responsible for the deaths of children Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months.

Her lawyers don't dispute that she killed the children, but they say she had bipolar disorder and her condition worsened while she was on antidepressants prescribed after the birth of her third child. She believed a voice was telling her to “kill the children so you can kill yourself,” according to her lawyers.

Lindsay Clancy remains paralyzed from the waist down after using multiple methods to try to end her life that night.

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.

___ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York.

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes worked for cartels with his brother Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the drug lord known as “El Mencho” who was killed by the Mexican army in February, according to federal prosecutors.

El Mencho co-founded and led the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, known by its Spanish-language acronym CJNG. Last year, President Donald Trump’s administration designated the CJNG and other cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, 67, of Michoacán, Mexico, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell is scheduled to sentence him on Nov. 13.

Besides the conspiracy charge, Oseguera Cervantes also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Oseguera Cervantes was transferred from Mexico to the U.S. for prosecution in February 2025. He was a member of the Milenio Cartel before his brother co-founded the CJNG.

Democratic incumbent Kimberly Daniels drew one challenger, Rhian Tutson, also a Democrat. As no other candidates qualified in this race, the August primary will be a Universal Primary Contest, open to all voters in the district.

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

Kimberly Daniels

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Democratic incumbent, who was elected to the Florida House in 2022 and previously served from 2016 to 2020, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Rhian Tutson

Occupation: Duval County Public Schools - Investigator

Age: 35

Family: Husband - Kris

Sons - Kennedy (11 years) and Zaccai (2 years)

Daughters - Amaya (15 years) and Zoey (11 months)

Education: Master of Science 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?

Public safety reform, affordability, and government accountability. On public safety, I’m bringing 15+ years of frontline experience as a former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and Traffic Homicide Investigator and DCF Child Protective Investigator — my Come Home Act would end mandatory minimums statewide, eliminate cash bail, and properly staff FHP. On affordability, my Reclaim and Restore Act directs real investment into historically redlined Northside and Westside communities, and my Families First Act tackles childcare costs and paid parental leave. On accountability, I’m pushing the Nothing But the Truth Act to protect educators from misuse of state statutes and the Citizen Legislator Amendment to end career politicians clinging to power instead of serving people.

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

I’ve lived the systems I’m asking to fix from the inside. I’ve investigated child welfare cases, worked traffic fatalities as a state trooper, and now investigate misconduct allegations for Duval County Public Schools — I’m not theorizing about broken systems, I’ve worked inside them and seen exactly where they fail families. I also sit on the Jacksonville Housing and Community Development Commission, so I understand how local and state policy connect on the ground in District 14.

I’m also running this campaign accountable to the people of District 14, not to PAC money. My fundraising is built around “$14 for District 14″ — small, grassroots contributions from the people I’ll actually answer to in Tallahassee. That means my votes won’t be for sale to whoever writes the biggest check. My loyalty is to my constituents, period.

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

Igniting real, lasting change for the people of District 14 — not just passing bills, but rebuilding trust between government and the communities it’s supposed to serve. I’d want to be remembered for proving that someone who spent her career protecting people in crisis could go to Tallahassee and actually deliver for Northside, Westside, and Downtown Jacksonville — safer streets, stronger schools, and a government that finally invests in its people instead of overlooking them.

Campaign website: www.ratutson.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

Christopher Hodgson

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Calvin “Cal” Peterson, Jr.

Occupation: Physician assistant, emergency medicine

Age: (No response)

Family: Married four children

Education: AA, BA secondary education, MA human development, and exercise physiology, postmasters doctor will work psychology, kinesiology, and supervision, and administration of education

Political experience: Served on committees for election in West Virginia for federal state and local candidates

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

Maintaining school enrollment, assure communication between administration, parents and students, investigate reasons for students, leaving public education to other educational forms

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

Having served in at all levels, in public and private institutions,both as an educator and as an administrator, dealing with similar issues that we are currently facingat these levels and identifying issues that educators are confronted with

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

Improving the educational experience for our students and their success

Campaign website: None given

Campaign social media: None given

Video from the scene appeared to show a grey sedan that collided with a semi-truck.

As of 2:30 p.m., the off-ramp right lanes were blocked.

By 3:30 p.m., all lanes were back open.

Daniel Crews, 43, was arrested July 30 and booked into the Duval County jail on a single count of grand theft, a second-degree felony. He was released on a $10,000 bond.

Audit uncovers missing funds, according to report

According to Crews’ arrest report, the case began July 3, when officers responded to the Atlantic Beach Police Department for a fraud and embezzlement investigation involving the Atlantic Beach Athletic Association.

Board members told investigators that the association’s new treasurer discovered a financial deficit of approximately $108,000 after taking over the position in November 2025, following Crews’ removal. After further review, investigators determined $38,751.67 of that total was accounted for, leaving $9,248.24 still unaccounted for, according to the report.

Crews served as the ABAA treasurer from 2023 to 2025.

More than 120 checks written to himself, police say

Investigators say over 121 checks were made payable to Crews — most labeled as “reimbursements” — totaling $60,076. An additional $9,172.24 in checks were made payable to “TeamSnap,” a travel baseball payment platform.

According to the report, Crews admitted to using association funds to pay for TeamSnap. He also told board members the $60,076 in checks represented out-of-pocket expenses he was reimbursing himself for.

Board members disputed that explanation, saying that under ABAA guidelines, all reimbursements must be approved by the board — and not a single board member was notified about any of the 121 checks, according to the report.

No receipts

Investigators say the ABAA retained an attorney to obtain records and recover funds from Crews. The attorney’s office sent a letter requesting reimbursement documentation and set a deadline of June 8. As of the date of the arrest, Crews had not responded.

A board member told investigators in a July 14 meeting that he had reached out to Crews multiple times with no response. He said Crews told him supporting receipts were stored in the concession stand — but when investigators checked, no receipts were found.

The board member also explained that the association’s normal practice was to request checks made directly payable to vendors, not to individual members like Crews.

Bank records raise more questions

On July 22, investigators received records from Community First Credit Union in response to a subpoena. The records showed deposits in Crews’ account that corresponded with the dates and amounts of checks he had written to himself.

Investigators say they identified 16 checks — ranging from $175 to $1,650 — that could not be located in the joint account held by Crews and his wife. Those checks totaled several thousand dollars in potentially unaccounted-for funds, according to the report.

A review of Crews’ bank statements from July 2024 to November 2025 also showed no significant purchases at sporting goods stores. Investigators noted that following a $1,850 deposit in July 2023, Crews spent more than $1,400 while traveling to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and made additional withdrawals in Arizona, Georgia and South Carolina, according to the report.

Of 120 checks made out to himself, investigators say they could not identify any purchases consistent with baseball equipment or field maintenance. In total, investigators traced $58,725 in checks written by Crews to himself — $48,280 deposited into his Community First account, with an additional $10,445 unaccounted for.

Arrest warrant issued

After multiple attempts to contact Crews went unanswered — investigators sought an arrest warrant.

Crews’ next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 20.

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

Mac Johns

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The incumbent Republican has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Donald Parrish, Jr.

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Casey Clark

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Channing Dobbs

Occupation: Conty Commissioner

Correctional Officer

Age: 36

Family: Wife-

Kayla

Daughters-

Pamela 14

Raelynn 11

Ramsey Kay 9

Madeline 5

Sons-

Bud 3

Vernon 1

Education: High school some college

Political experience: Raiford Councilman 2yrs

Raiford Mayor 2yrs

County Commissioner 8yrs

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

-Possible loss of homestead property tax revenues

>Explain to legislature the departments and services impossible to fund due to revenue stream loss. Request assistance as a fiscally constrained county from the State to continue funding said services.

-Florida Senate Bill 180 restricting local governments from amending comprehensive plans

> Requesting legislature introduce and pass separate legislation amending the bill in its current form.

-Inflation and rising cost to fund services

> Encourage business growth in the County to offset cost and prevent special assessment increases.

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

My deep roots and love for this county as well as my devotion to it’s citizens and current experience in this position.

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

Having a strong personal connection to the citizens. Always standing for whats right. Looking out for the best interest of Union County and its citizens.

Campaign website: None given

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

Robbi Correa

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Tatyiana Henry Daniel

Occupation: Cashier at Publix and property manager for Northside Village apartments, an affordable housing complex.

Age: 22

Family: Patricia Daniel and Junior Roger Daniel (Grandparents)

Education: Finished high school with a diploma, graduating from Putnam Virtual School and a GPA of 4.32

Political experience: I don’t have much. Most of the experience I have is when my grandfather, Junior Roger Daniel ran for mayor in 2022. I helped with his campaign and learned from his experiences.

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

One of the top three issues I’ve noticed is the infrastructure of our roads. I can see the current people in office are wanting to redo them and make them look nicer, but they’re not fixing the main issue. They replace piping, they repave, but the underling issue is the drainage. During heavy rainfall, one drain for every other block or so is not going to catch all the water. The neighborhood roads flood like a mini hurricane came through. And the people in office either don’t seem to notice is problem, or simply don’t care. I want to address this by simply bringing it to their attention and not pointless spend taxpayers money and do everything right the first time. Another is the lack of good jobs. Yes, we have plenty of fast food places (we need more proper restraunts), but the only good full-time jobs we have are factories, Seminole and Georgia Pacific. With the way the current economy is, citizens have to drive to other counties just to find jobs that pay better money. I want to bring better jobs here so we have more selection, especially for our youth coming out of college. The final thing is our sources of entertainment. Yes, we have annual events like the Blue Crab festival, the county fair, but we don’t have many places family can go to on a day to day basis. Yes, we have parks, yes we have a bowling hall (but it could be better), but there’s so much more we could have. I have people who move from other towns to here asking me, “What is there to do around here for fun?”. And most of the time I can’t really tell them anything, which is sad. Palatka is an awesome town, and I want people moving here (which is a lot, by the way) to have reasons to stay. I envision bringing new and excited places to stray off the sense of boredom.

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

Like I said before, I want to show voters my vision for the city. I want them to know that change is needed, even if in small actions.

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

I want to be remembered by showing that even youth can achieve great things and inspire those who come after me and allow them to carry the torch onwards into the future.

Campaign website: www.tatyianahdaniel.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Constance Daniels

Campaign website: constanceformayor.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Karl N. Flagg

Occupation: Senior Pastor/Licensed Funeral Director

Age: 66

Family: Married - Terricena Flagg 40 years

2 adult daughters Karla (Jarvis) Flagg-Wright and Kandyce Flagg

2 grandchildren Jayla Wright and Jarvis Wright II

Education: Associate in Science Degree in Funeral Service Education, Miami-Dade College; further studies at St Johns River State College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Political experience: Palatka City Commissioner 5 years (1990-1995)

City of Palatka Mayor 11 years (2000-2011)

Putnam County Commissioner 4 years (2012-2016)

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

#1 Sustainable Economic Growth & Job Creation

#2 Infrastructure and Community Investment

#3 Population Growth, Housing, and Quality of Life

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

I have a proven track record on servant leadership. I am a consensus builder who brings my problem solving skills and a purpose driven approach to our challenges.

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

That our Mayor facilitated a brighter future for successive generations who inherited a city that created greater opportunities, protected the cultural charm and historical significance, by being fiscally responsible and left Palatka more prosperous and prepared.

Campaign website: www.flagg4mayor.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The agreement announced by Trump late Thursday could pave the way for ending the latest Israel-Hamas war that broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, and which has seen continued violence despite a ceasefire last October. Few places in the Palestinian territory of over 2 million people have been left unscathed, and the United Nations, World Bank and European Union estimate that reconstruction will cost $70 billion.

Hamas officials said the group has agreed to the disarmament agreement. Israel has not commented.

The Board of Peace will have a major role in overseeing the deal's implementation.

Here's what the group is and what it is expected to do:

What is the Board of Peace

The Board of Peace was first mentioned in September when the White House released Trump’s plan to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan called on Hamas to surrender its weapons and destroy its vast network of tunnels. It also envisions Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, the arrival of a new technocratic Palestinian government, deployment of an international security force and the rebuilding of the battered Palestinian enclave after more than two years of war.

More than two dozen nations signed on as the board's founding members, including Israel and other regional heavyweights, as well as countries from outside the Middle East such as Indonesia, Paraguay and Vietnam.

Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are among more than a dozen countries that have not joined the board but took part in a February meeting as observers.

Israelis are suspicious of the involvement of Qatar and Turkey, which have longstanding relations with Hamas. Earlier this year, Palestinians objected because their representatives weren’t invited to the board, even as it weighs the future of a territory that is home to some 2 million of them.

A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the board instead of a three-year appointment, which has no contribution requirement.

During the first meeting of the board in February in Washington, members pledged $7 billion in aid for Gaza — just a fraction of the $70 billion that international bodies say is needed to rebuild the territory. The board also announced plans for international troops and police, and for reconstruction. But no timeline was given.

How the board is involved in the new deal

The agreement was reached after months of “very difficult negotiations,” Nickolay Mladenov, the director-general of the Board of Peace in Gaza, said in comments posted on X. “There were several points when I did not believe we would make it,” he added.

Mladenov, a former Bulgarian defense and foreign minister who served as the U.N. envoy to Iraq before being appointed as the U.N. Mideast peace envoy from 2015-2020, added, “Implementation and verification have to be real” and “withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning.”

The National Committee for The Administration of Gaza, a Palestinian technocratic body that operates under the supervision of the Board of Peace, is tasked with administering Gaza in the interim period after Hamas gives up control.

That includes setting up a new police force to replace the one previously run by Hamas and implementing the disarmament process - the details of which are not yet clear.

The NCAS said in a statement Friday that it is ready to assume responsibility for governing Gaza and restoring public services and the rule of law.

Ambitious Plans

In November, the Trump administration’s blueprint to secure and govern Gaza won strong approval at the United Nations.

Israel and the U.S. say Hamas’ disarmament is key to progress on the other fronts. Arab and Muslim members of the Board of Peace have accused Israel of undermining the ceasefire with its daily strikes and want the U.S. to rein in its close ally. They have called on Hamas to disarm but say Israel’s withdrawal is just as important.

Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, who is a member of the group’s negotiating team, told Qatar's Al Jazeera TV on Friday that the agreement is a “full package” of which Hamas’ disarmament is a part.

“Hamas and Palestinian factions are making concessions for the sake of our Palestinian people in Gaza,” Hamad said. He added that Hamas will not take any step unless they are sure that Israel will implement the deal from its side.

Israel defines demilitarization as extending from heavy weapons like rocket-propelled grenades all the way down to roughly 60,000 rifles that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says would have to be given up.

Trump — along with son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff — has laid out ambitious plans for rebuilding Gaza with international investment.

In Davos last year, Kushner suggested reconstruction could be complete in a matter of three years, even though U.N. forecasts suggest that clearing rubble and demining alone could take much longer.

Kushner’s slides showed a reconstructed Gaza with a coastal tourism strip, industrial zones and data centers. He conceded that rebuilding would begin only in demilitarized areas and that security would be essential to attract investment.

A stabilization force

The ceasefire deal also calls for a temporary International Stabilization Force made up of soldiers from Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Its mandate is not spelled out in detail, but would include securing aid deliveries, preventing weapons smuggling and vetting and training a Palestinian police force.

Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who is leading the effort, said in February the plans call for 12,000 police and 20,000 soldiers for Gaza.

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania have pledged to send troops for the force, while Egypt and Jordan have committed to train police.

Troops will initially be deployed to Rafah, a heavily damaged and largely depopulated city under full Israeli control, where the U.S. administration hopes to first focus reconstruction efforts.

The biggest blow to the planned force came about a week after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, when Indonesia put its commitment of 8,000 troops on indefinite hold. Some 1,000 were to have been sent in April, followed by the remainder in June.

The latest Israel-Hamas war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including hundreds who perished after a ceasefire went into effect Oct. 10, Gaza’s Health Ministry says. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government and is staffed by medical professionals, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half of all deaths.

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

Joshua Florence

Occupation: Pediatric Medical Assistant

Age: 31

Family: Wife and Three toddlers

Education: A.S. Emergency Medical Services- Saint Johns River State College

B.A.S Organizational Management, Healthcare Administration - Saint Johns River State College

Masters in Executive Healthcare Administration - University of Central Florida (Current)

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 three issues in this race are engagement with constituents, accountability to residents rather than party lines, and staying deeply informed of constituent needs. Putnam County deserves a commissioner who shows up and makes decisions based on what residents actually need, not what’s politically convenient. I have already started, showing up at dining room tables, parking lots, and fish fries, rather than waiting for residents to come to me. I plan to stay deeply informed by treating every conversation in this district as research, not just a campaign stop, and by following up on what I hear with real answers, not vague promises.

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

I can help voters in a way the others in this race cannot because I am actually present. I am the only candidate showing up at the places that aren’t comfortable or convenient. That means I am hearing directly from residents who do not normally get a knock on their door from someone running for office, and I am building real relationships before I ever ask for a vote. I am one of the few candidates in this race who has looked closely at how state legislation impacts home rule, rather than relying on talking points, which means I can have an honest conversation with voters about what county government can and cannot actually do for them, and why. Most importantly, I am not running to protect a seat or a party. I am running because this community deserves a commissioner who answers to them first.

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

Florence Nightingale once said, ‘I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse.’ That is what I hope to be remembered for. Not a single big accomplishment, but a record of follow through. I want residents to remember that when they brought a problem to me, I did not make excuses for why it could not be fixed. I found a way to get it done, or I told them honestly why I could not, and kept working until I could. If I am remembered for anything, I hope it is that this community always knew exactly where I stood and that I never stopped showing up for them.

Campaign website: www.gowithflorence.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Joseph Agner

Occupation: Public Safety, Prior US Army

Age: 46

Family: Wife Katrina and 4 boys

Education: Currently getting my 1st bachelors in political science

Political experience: No political background

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

1. Taxes, spending, and accountability of how our taxes are spent

2. Roads. We have a real problem with our dirt roads and drainage in Putnam county. Instead of paving all dirt roads at the time of $1,000,000 a mile we can’t revamp them and keep them as well maintained dirt roads for much less.

3. We have a real problem with our animal control. Putnam county decided years ago to strip animal control of their constitutional duties and it has led to poor enforcement

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

Educate them on all issues. Don’t hide anything or allow their tax dollars to get a rubber stamp every time the budget is signed. The public should be very well educated in everything their local government does.

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

That I put the citizens first. Politicians have seemed to forget over the years that they work for the voters, both the other way around

Campaign website: jagner4putnamcc.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Larry Harvey

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

NO PARTY AFFILIATION CANDIDATE

Ronald Burckhard

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

The Cabinet meeting, the 13th such gathering of Trump's second term, came just three months before the November midterm elections that could serve as a check on his power if Democrats take control of one or both chambers of Congress. His warnings about Spain echoed language he used ahead of the 2018 midterms, when he warned of caravans of migrants headed to the southern U.S. border.

“You know, I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It looks like an invasion of a country by hundreds of thousands of people,” Trump said. “And that same thing is going to happen to us if the Republicans don’t get elected. Except worse, much bigger.”

Some 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain’s tiny Ceuta territory over the past 24 hours. Roughly half of them have already made their way back voluntarily, according to the Spanish government, but at least 57 have died on the journey.

Separately, he deflected blame for a series of cyberattacks that targeted 30 water systems in Minnesota on the state’s “grossly incompetent” Democratic leadership. Officials have not publicly identified who was behind the attacks, though the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other agencies warned in an advisory last week that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems and the operational controls of other critical infrastructure sectors.

“They blame it on Iran,” Trump said, without offering evidence. “I don’t think so. I think I blame it on Minnesota because they’re grossly incompetent.”

The president regularly convenes his Cabinet throughout his terms as a setting to promote his administration's policies while fielding questions on the news of the day, but what made Friday's unusual was that it was at Camp David, the government-owned retreat nestled in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains where Trump held one Cabinet meeting during his first term.

Trump began the meeting by noting it was “something very unique.” The White House called it the first-ever televised Cabinet meeting from the presidential retreat.

“It's Camp David, and this room is a very, very special room,” Trump said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were among the Cabinet officials who spoke before Trump took questions from journalists. The public portion of the meeting ended after about an hour.

Trump fields questions on Iran, Hamas deal and Blanche confirmation

In the lengthy question-and-answer session, Trump commented on the latest developments regarding the war in Iran and a deal he announced Thursday that would lead to the disarmament of the Palestinian group Hamas. He also lamented that a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund to compensate his allies was “dead” and appeared to back off a pledge he made earlier this month to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems.

“I don’t think this would ever happen, but, you know, there’s people that, you give that technology, they can someday turn on you,” Trump added. “You look at war, that’s happened a couple of times over the years, right? So we have to be very careful.”

On the Hamas agreement, Trump acknowledged that the agreement that would also lead to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza will have “ups and downs.” Still, he called it a “great breakthrough” that has been helped along by the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, which has served as Hamas’ prime backer.

Trump also remarked on the anti-weaponization fund that is holding up the confirmation of Todd Blanche as his attorney general, saying the pot of money is “dead” and that “I wish it weren't, to be honest with you.”

The president continued to defend the people who could potentially benefit from the fund, mainly those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory over him.

“Their families have been ruined,” Trump said. Those people “wanted to go to a rally or an event and ended up spending the rest of their lives in horror.”

Trump said Blanche has been a “pawn in this whole thing.” Blanche, who was present, did not speak in the public portion of the Cabinet meeting.

Camp David has been a retreat for presidents since FDR

The camp’s primary purpose is to provide presidents a place to rest, relax and recharge. It was established in 1942 during Franklin Roosevelt's presidency and has been used by every president since.

Roosevelt had enjoyed relaxing aboard a presidential yacht, but the military and the U.S. Secret Service began to worry about his safety on open water during World War II. As a result, Roosevelt asked the National Park Service to find sites within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the White House that he could use for rest.

He chose what is now known as Camp David. He gave it the original name of Shangri-La, from James Hilton’s novel “Lost Horizon.” President Dwight Eisenhower renamed it Camp David, after his grandson and father.

Trump spent more weekends at the retreat in his first term but has visited sparingly in his second, most recently in June for Father’s Day.

In 2019, during his first term, Trump announced on social media that he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghanistan leaders — scheduled for just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — after a bombing in the capital of Kabul killed a dozen people, including a U.S. soldier.

Presidents throughout history have turned to Camp David when they needed security and privacy for sensitive diplomatic talks with foreign leaders. Jimmy Carter took the leaders of Egypt and Israel there in 1978 for talks that produced the Camp David Accords, a peace agreement between the two countries.

The 180-acre (73-hectare) retreat, which is run by the Navy and guarded by Marines, has a cabin named Aspen that’s reserved for the president, plus about a dozen other cabins for guests. A main lodge has conference rooms, a dining room and an office for the president.

___

Superville and Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Collin Binkley, Will Weissert and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report from Washington.

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.

DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATES

Antonio “Tony” Amaral Jr

Campaign website: votesfortony.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Jeani Duarte

Occupation: Retired Bakery Owner, Dabbled in Short term and Long term rentals, Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.

Age: 59

Family: Married to a Retired Marine, Grandma

Education: Some college, Certified through National Academy Of Sports Medicine.

Political experience: Attend City Council meetings and researching the issues.

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

1. Transparency concerning issues and how we got to where we are. Open communication and placing the facts of various issues in front of the electors for proper approvals or denials.

2. Budget, Fiscal Accountability. All Salaries starting at the Top and budgets in every department need reviewing for accountability, cuts or trims to ensure fiscal responsibility. This includes cutting the unapproved portions of the Mayor and Council compensations.

3. Infrastructure must be addressed before any growth can move forward. This includes the Data Center, Westward Expansion, and all other Mass Community Developments. With Full Transparencies. Impact Fees need to be collected up front. The Ad Valorem needs revisited.

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

I am the only candidate that is not compromised. I have no conflicts of interest. I am not a builder nor do I live across the street from the Mayor. I have done the research and found many issues on my own. I have a history of stepping up to the podium to defend the citizens of Palm Coast regardless of the backlash I have received. I stand firm on the issues, I am fully self funded, so I am nobodies puppet.

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

Setting Palm Coast Straight with it’s Budget Accountability, Charter Restoration, Strong, Healthy and Transparent Water Infrastructure, a Stable Community Planning System that includes assets that incorporate Stop and Go Revenue without destroying our natural resources. Plus Transparent, Easy Public Access of Information.

Campaign website: jeani4palmcoast.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Jimmy Hengy

Occupation: Retired

Age: 64

Family: 5 children and 5 Grandchildren

Education: Right from graduating High School, into 40 years of business development and ownership.

Political experience: 1st time running for office.

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

#1. Our lacking infrastructure from overdevelopment! Putting the breaks on development and redirecting our efforts towards our streets, water, wastewater and storm water capacities. Once our infrastructure is capable, planning new residential developments focused on low density residential communities with abundant green spaces.

#2. Economic Development. Developing an incubator program to nurture upcoming entrepreneurs in mentoring best business practices and helping with startup cost financing. Re enter an EDC division to attract higher paying light industrial manufacturing, focusing on Space Coast opportunities.

#3. Protecting our environment, saving our existing green spaces to protect our abundant wildlife population. Retaining the beauty of Palm Coast that attracted our residents, and future residents, to live here.

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

I am retired from 40 years of business experience. I can devote my total attention to our council in representing the needs of our community. I know how to build teams, develop budgets and work within budget constraints. I have no agenda, I’m not affiliated with any builders, developers or large land owners. I have no political aspirations; if elected, I will serve my term, or at the most, 2 terms in representing the wants and needs of our community, with communication, transparency and fiscal responsibility.

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

That I have helped in preserving the beauty of Palm Coast. That I helped in developing real economic opportunities.

That I helped in creating balanced budgets, reduced debt and helped make our city more affordable for our residence.

Campaign website: www.jimmyhengy.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES

Dylana “Dee” Galery

Campaign website: dylanagalery.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

John Kvederis

Occupation: Junk Removal business owner

Age: 34

Family: Single

Education: High school

Political experience: 1st time running

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

Economic Development & Local Affordability

​The Issue is Inflation, rising property taxes, and the increasing cost of living are putting pressure on local families and small businesses.

​The plan I will advocate for fiscal responsibility by streamlining municipal spending, cutting unnecessary red tape for small business growth, and supporting targeted tax relief initiatives to keep our community affordable for working families and seniors.

Public Safety & Community Infrastructure

​The Issue: Aging infrastructure, traffic congestion, and ensuring public safety departments have adequate resources to serve a growing population.

​Plan: I will prioritize funding for critical road, utility, and drainage projects while ensuring our first responders (police, fire, and EMS) have the modern equipment, competitive compensation, and community support necessary to keep our neighborhoods safe.

Transparency & Local Government Accountability

​The Issue: Voters often feel disconnected from local decision-making and desire more transparency regarding how public funds are spent.

​Plan: I will implement regular town hall meetings, push for fully accessible digital streaming of public workshops/meetings, and mandate clearer reporting on municipal budgets and project timelines so residents always know where their tax dollars go.

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

What sets me apart in this race is my extensive real world experience as a business owner and my executive background in casino financial management.

​Managing complex financial operations in the casino and gaming industry requires strict regulatory compliance, rigorous oversight of multi million dollar budgets, and absolute precision in accounting. I know how to audit operations, eliminate fiscal waste, identify revenue opportunities, and stretch every dollar without sacrificing quality or service.

​Combined with the grit and practical problem solving that comes with owning and operating a business, I bring a level of financial discipline and operational expertise that traditional political candidates simply do not have. I won’t need a learning curve when it comes to analyzing complex public budgets, holding departments accountable, or making smart, business minded decisions for our community.

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

Having grown up in Palm Coast, I want to be remembered as the leader who brought true fiscal responsibility and operational efficiency back to city government.

​Above all, I hope to leave a legacy of solving long overdue infrastructure issues specifically fixing our stormwater management, swales, and drainage systems by prioritizing what we already have before taking on unnecessary new costs. I want residents to remember my tenure as a time when taxpayers finally got a City Council that scrutinized every dollar, protected local property owners, and ensured that government served the community with total transparency and business minded accountability.

Campaign website: votekvederis.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Ramon Marrero

Occupation: At the moment, I am retired but operating a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, but I come from a Military, law enforcement, and mortgage underwriting background.

Age: 66

Family: I have three daughters and two grandsons. I have 9 siblings, and my mother, who, thank God, is still with us.

Education: BA in Business Administration.

Political experience: None. This is my first time running for a position, but I have 19 years of service to this community, working with other charitable and religious organizations.

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 managing growth, improving infrastructure, and strengthening our local economy. We need to make sure growth pays for itself, invest in roads and utilities before they become problems, and attract businesses that create good-paying jobs. My focus will be on practical solutions that protect our quality of life.

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

I bring real-world leadership from the military, law enforcement, business, and the nonprofit sector. I’ve managed budgets, solved problems, and built consensus. I’ll bring that same practical experience, integrity, and common-sense approach to every decision on the City Council.

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

I want to be remembered for putting Palm Coast first—making smart decisions, improving our infrastructure, protecting our quality of life, and leaving the city stronger and better prepared for the future.

Campaign website: vote4ramon.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | LinkedIn

Darlene Shelley

Occupation: Retired

Age: 57

Family: Bryan Shelley- Husband of 35 years, daughter Brandy and husband Garret, son Bryan and wife Lauren, and three precious grandchildren ages 11, 3, and 3 and my mom, Mary Alice. Brandy and her family and momma also live in Palm Coast. My mom and dad moved to Palm Coast 30 years ago and visiting them on vacations is how we came to love the beautiful coastal city of Palm Coast. In 2012, we moved here for good.

Education: Associate’s degree in human resource management, Rutgers Garden Certification, multiple Continued Education Certificates.

Political experience: Not a politician

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

Overdevelopment- My solution- Demand infrastructure, compatibility, public benefit, and concurrency are met before approving development proposals.

Water- My solution- Protect wetlands, fragile ecosystems and the environment. Consider capacity limitations, potential for pollution and contamination, and increased flooding possibilities before approving any development project, additional density or added intensity. Ensure wells and aquifer are protected from contamination, depletion, and damage due to development, saltwater intrusion, or wastewater injection.

Affordability and Quality of Life- Local neighbors are being forced to have to move through increases in utility and electric costs, excessive nuisance noise, and increased traffic and safety concerns. My solution- Ensure rule of law is enforced and rules and regulations are upheld. I would strive to bring quality jobs, tax base diversity through light industrial uses that are compatible with surrounding communities and discuss methods for insuring development pays for its infrastructure, traffic prevention, and utility upgrades do not let those cost burdens fall upon the shoulders of the residents.

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

I have over 35 years of experience in leadership, operations management, and delivering results. I am the only candidate in my district race that owns a home and has zero debt. My proven track record of dedication to fiscal responsibility, advocating for the safety, health, and welfare of my Palm Coast family, and working hard to prevent poorly planned overdevelopment in our city speak volumes. My work with Concerned Citizens of Palm Coast, PeaceforPalm.com , and Palm Coast Connect have delivered measurable results in quality of life, health and safety improvements, and in the beautification of the city that we love. More trees and flowers- Hard work and dedication -Less wasteful spending- Better Quality of Life and Increased Home Values, this is how I have achieved my American Dream and with these experiences and attributes I believe can help Palm Coast remain a great city in which to live and work.

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

I would like to be remembered as a local resident who cared enough to step outside my comfort zone to stand up for the things I hold near and dear. These things include the peaceful enjoyment of our homes, our Constitutional Rights, the health and safety of our friends and family, affordability of utility bills for seniors, renters, and homeowners, and most importantly- LISTENING to the residents and taking action to SOLVE the problems they are facing. Not pointing fingers, not saying it is out of my control, not kicking the can down the road, and not saying “Thank you for your comment” and then doing nothing to fix the issue.

Campaign website: darleneforpalmcoast.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

11. Troy Butler

Position/school: Edge/Raines.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 250.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why here’s here: A Rivals three-star prospect who comes in ranked as the state’s No. 119 overall player. Had 69 tackles and 25 tackles for loss during the Vikings 14-0 season. Had five tackles, two for loss and a sack in that championship game win, 23-22 over Miami Northwestern. That sack was his 10th of the season. Forced five fumbles and recovered one to earn All-News4JAX first-team honors. Early commitment to Liberty but decommitted.

12. JC Wessel

Position/school: TE/Bolles.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-6, 227.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why here’s here: A bit of a projection here. Wessel transferred to Bolles from Frederica Academy in Saint Simons Island. Had 18 catches for 338 yards, three touchdowns last year. Made 16 tackles on defense and picked up a sack. Consensus four-star prospect by the major recruiting services. In top seven consensus of national tight end rankings. As Bolles breaks in a largely new offensive line, Wessel will lend some much-needed size and blocking in the ground game. Former first-round pick Hayden Hurst is coaching tight ends at Bolles now, so expect Wessel to take a major step forward at the position.

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).

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

Christy Chong

Occupation: Current School Board Chair and Family Nurse Practitioner at Advent Health.

Age: 43

Family: I am married to my husband Kirk and we have three boys enrolled in Flagler Schools.

Education: Master of Science in Nursing.

Political experience: Current Flagler School Board Member.

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

The top three issues in this race are managing our community’s growth, maintaining strong financial stewardship, and continuing the academic success that earned Flagler Schools an A district rating.

As our community grows, we must plan responsibly to ensure our schools have the capacity, staff, and resources to meet increasing enrollment without compromising the quality of education.

Second, we must be fiscally responsible. Rising costs and limited funding require careful budgeting, prioritizing classroom instruction, and finding efficiencies so every taxpayer dollar is used wisely.

Finally, we cannot become complacent. Earning an A district rating is a tremendous accomplishment, but keeping it will require a continued focus on academic excellence, supporting our teachers, ensuring safe learning environments, and making decisions that always put students first. As a current School Board member, I have the experience to help our district build on this success while preparing for the challenges ahead.

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

As a current School Board member, I understand the challenges our district faces and the importance of balancing budgets while planning for the future. As a mother, I bring the perspective of a parent who wants every child to have a safe, supportive, and high-performing school. As a board-certified nurse practitioner, I have built a career on problem-solving, listening, and making informed decisions based on facts.

I believe my experience, proven leadership, and commitment to fiscal responsibility will help ensure Flagler Schools continue to grow while maintaining the academic excellence that earned our district an A rating.

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

I am very proud that Flagler Schools has achieved an “A” rating under our board’s current leadership. This A rating is a powerful boost for our entire county. It means stronger opportunities for our children, greater pride in our community, and a brighter future for Flagler.

Campaign website: Christyforflagler.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Ron Long

Occupation: Construction

Age: 55

Family: Married with three children ages 30, 28 and 26.

Education: High School, Some College

Political experience: I currently serve as Vice Chair of the Flagler County Planning and Development Advisory Board

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

I believe this election comes down to three priorities.

First, responsible budgeting. This ballot is about the budget. The district’s budget has grown dramatically over the past decade while enrollment has remained essentially flat. Every dollar should be examined to ensure it is reaching classrooms, supporting teachers, and improving student outcomes. I will bring the experience of managing large construction budgets to conduct a line-by-line review of spending and look for efficiencies before asking taxpayers for more.

Second, student achievement and accountability. While our district has earned an “”A"" rating, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Several of our individual schools are still struggling, and every child deserves an excellent education regardless of which school they attend. I will focus on data-driven decisions, strengthening career and technical education, supporting teachers with the resources they need, and making sure we measure success by the performance of every school, not just the district average.

Third, strong representation and local advocacy. A School Board member’s job doesn’t end at board meetings. We need leaders who show up in Tallahassee, engage with our legislators, listen to parents, teachers, and community members, and push back against unfunded mandates that don’t benefit Flagler County students. I’ll be a full-time advocate for our schools, ensuring Flagler’s voice is heard wherever important education decisions are being made.

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

What sets me apart is the combination of time, experience, and perspective I can bring to the job.

After more than 30 years managing construction projects and working within tight budgets, I know how to identify waste, ask tough questions, and make the most of every dollar. That’s exactly the skill set our School Board needs as the district manages a budget of more than $350 million.

I also have the time to fully commit to this position. This isn’t a stepping stone or a part-time job for me. My children have graduated from the public schools system, my career is behind me after a workplace injury, and I can dedicate my full attention to serving the families of Flagler County. That means showing up; not just for School Board meetings, but in Tallahassee, in our schools, and throughout the community whenever decisions affecting our students are being made.

Most importantly, I’m not running with an agenda to protect the status quo. I’m running to ask the hard questions, insist on accountability, and make sure every decision starts with one question: ”How does this improve education for Flagler County students while making the best use of taxpayer dollars?“

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

If I’m fortunate enough to serve, I hope people can honestly say that I left the School District a little better than I found it.

I want to be remembered for asking the tough questions, protecting taxpayer dollars, and making sure more of our education funding reached the classroom. I hope teachers feel more supported, parents feel their voices were heard, and students have greater opportunities to succeed, whether that’s preparing for college, learning a skilled trade, or pursuing another path.

Success isn’t about having my name attached to a program or a building. It’s about leaving behind a stronger financial foundation, a culture of accountability, and a School Board that puts students first in every decision.

If, at the end of my service, Flagler County has stronger schools, better stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and greater public trust than when I took office, I’ll consider that a job well done.

Campaign website: www.voteronlong.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Trevor Tucker

Occupation: Business Owner

Age: 50

Family: Married 3 Children

Education: BS Accounting

Political experience: 12 Years Flagler School Board

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

Retain Leadership by supporting the superintendent. Maintain high academic services through policy. Raise support staff and teacher pay by lobbying State Legislature for flexibility of capital dollars.

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

From 12 years experience knowing when items are achievable vs impossible.

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

Calm determination

Campaign website: electtucker.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 by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Anna Jones

Occupation: Retired - Business Management, Casino Management, Hospitality.

Age: 63

Family: Bruce Jones, husband.

Education: Computer Science degree

Political experience: I’ve never filed to run. Campaigned for President Trump 3 times and others. Activist.

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

Out of control spending - Forensic audits

Over development - Limit rezoning, set limits.

Environmental Conservation- Require Larger Buffers.

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

I will fight for residents and not insiders

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

Controlled spending, controlled growth, fix infrastructure, and protect the character of Flagler County.

Campaign website: annaforflagler.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Drew Moss

Occupation: Teacher

Age: 47

Family: Yes, with 3 children.

Education: B.S. in Public Administration from Flagler College

Political experience: 16 years helping others obtain office.

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

Ad Valorem - depends on the outcome

Growth - Needs to be responsible and intelligent. Infrastructure must be able to accommodate growth and we must ensure our budget is not outpacing population or inflation.

Taxes - Must be reasonable and limited. County government needs to stick to the priorities so the people can keep as much of their money in their pockets as they can.

Beach Re-Nourishment

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

Through increased transparency.

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

Serving the people of Flagler at the highest level, having them feel heard and seen, keeping as much of their hard earned money in their pockets as possible.

Campaign website: votedrewmoss.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Leann Pennington

Campaign website: penningtonforflagler.com

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Greg Feldman

Occupation: Retired from law enforcement after 47 years.

Age: 77

Family: Married 45 years. Two adult sons who are both Firefighter/Paramedics for Flagler County Fire Rescue and 3 grandchildren, ages 8, 5, and 3.

Education: BA University of Oklahoma

Political experience: Tried once years ago for office but did not win. I have been volunteering for various entities/organizations for the last 13 years.

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

One challenge is managing growth responsibly. Thousands of new homes, apartments and commercial properties are in various stages of planning. Development will continue, and I will work with staff, the other commissioners, other jurisdictions and the many stakeholders to ensure projects respect property rights while requiring compatibility with existing neighborhoods, follow land development codes and demonstrate adequate infrastructure planning and implementation from the outset.

Flagler County Fire Rescue (FCFR) is a component of our county’s public safety efforts. In fiscal year 2024, FCFR saw over 19,000 calls for service. Of those, over 15,000 were for emergency medical service (EMS) as FCFR is the sole provider of actual rescue units in Flagler County regardless of jurisdiction. That number is served by 10 Rescue stations scattered around the county, ensuring an average response time of approximately 5 minutes regardless of the location within the county.

Based upon county growth, the number of calls, and specifically, EMS calls for service will continue to grow as well as expand to other areas not currently high volume. It is the role of the County Commission to make sure that FCFR has the fiscally sound resources to maintain the response time for professional fire and rescue services in Flagler County.

Traffic and vehicle volumes have become a topic of conversation in Flagler County, accelerating along with the pace of homes and businesses being built. The last few years have brought a number of large-scale housing developments proposed or under construction. As a member of the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners I will draw on my experience as a member, and current Chairman of the Volusia Flagler Transportation Planning Organization’s Community Advisory Council to work on solutions to these problems. I will work to bring the major participants to this issue; FDOT, all of the cities, and the county road and engineering departments, to the table to have frank and open discussions to solve the issues of traffic management, signalization, road volumes and more. Through a cooperative effort centered on resolution, solutions improving this aspect of the quality of life for residents, business owners and visitors can be identified, addressed and resolved for everyone’s benefit.

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

I bring 47 years of law enforcement experience to the table. Through this experience I bring skills in conflict resolution, complex decision making and a very analytical perspective to the dais. I am not afraid to make decisions for our county but I do so after careful analysis of information presented on specific topics and evaluating them to determine the benefit for everyone in Flagler County.

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

I hope that I will be remembered as someone who stood up for the residents, visitors and businesses of Flagler County, did the absolute best that he could for them, was honest and respectful and, most of all, made our lives just a little bit better all around.

Campaign website: www.votefeldman.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Theresa Pontieri

Campaign website: theresaforflagler.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

Raymond Royer

Occupation:

United States Navy Veteran

Tradesmen / Professional

Laborer I - 78 Highway Bridge Construction

Steelworker, Topton Pa.

Pipefitter, Philadelphia / Allentown

Royer Mechanical Services Proprietor / Owner

Retired City of Allentown, Pa., firefighter

Age: 62

Family:

Wife Jan Paxson

Son Shawn , daughter- inlaw Touyen reside in Texas

Son Justin , daughter - inlaw Andressa reside in California

Education:

Wm. Allen High School Class of 1982

Lehigh Valley Vo - tech Auto Body

Navy SARS

Bethlehem Vo - tech Electrical , Plumbing , HVAC - R

Type I & II technician 40 CRF part 82, subpart F

Accredited Vertical Loop Installer Ground Source Heat Pump

Allentown Training Firefighter Academy

Political experience: Steelworker Washington D.C., two weeks

Penn Forest Township Supervisor Candidate Independent

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

1. District 2 the leadership to establish a long and short term comprehension plan that’s 25 years overdue in order reaching State approval for beach replenishment / renourishment program to include innercoastal dredging canals, “” leadership has broken down to now only doing a maintenance beach program.“”

2. Working with other Flagler County Commissioners to establish long and short comprehension plan that for over 50 years of unfinished infrastucture mainly in District 4 and overall infrastructue that includes our safety and health. The unbalance in safty like County Fire is very below ISO stadards to were local citizens are being doubled taxed. ISO is a standard how insurance companies rate liability for home and car to bussiness policies. Two questions they ask is where is the closest fire hydrant to closest fire station.

3. Affordability, is the state of being inexpensive enough for people to realistically buy and pay for without sacrificing their standard of living, like our local control utilities in water and wastewater to trash fees. The ITT model never worked for the short term with numerous bankruptcies. To definitely not the long term being a model for mainly retirement homes and small businesses. Today our county and municipalities just cann’t solely relying on the fixed pension community without sacrifficing their standard of living or forcing them to move.

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

First by truly listening and then looking at all resources available at the county level. Lobbying or petitioning our State resources if that means I peronally have to sleep outside State represetative office doors or just have lunch to start by saying Flagler County needs funding for our betterment of life in safety and health to infrastructure.

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

For actully setting a " strong conerstone " in policies and rules to regulations in our much need for balance in safety and health to infrastucture throughout Flagler County that takes in highly consideration to calculate for affordability concept. Revisiting the organic Master Plan to orginal zoning and planning that has now become less rights for homeowners properties and exceptional rights for land developers. Leaving residential footprint communities with no basic protections or as it stands now no representation but continue taxation.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Big Ten calls its reputation as a top-heavy conference unfair.

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti considers those three College Football Playoff championships — from Michigan in 2023, Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana in 2025 — testaments to the league’s strength from top to bottom.

“You cannot send your top teams out into the CFP unless they’ve played — and have them be successful, which we have been very successful — if they’re not going through a gauntlet in the regular season,” Petitti said this week. “This idea that the middle of our conference isn’t hard is just not right.”

The balance of power between college football’s heavyweight conferences has been a major talking point at the leagues’ media days.

Petitti spoke to reporters while standing beside the Big Ten’s three recent CFP trophies. Illinois coach Bret Bielema said the SEC was living in the past. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said “there’s no doubt” the Big Ten is best.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Cignetti said. “We don’t run a hype machine up here in the Midwest. We believe everything is earned, not given. When we fall short, we say, ‘We fell short.’ We don’t cry a river, whine and complain. That’s why we’re the best.”

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey argued his league’s case a week earlier.

“When you look at our schedule, no one has created the kind of weekly competition that exists in the Southeastern Conference,” Sankey said.

Five different SEC schools combined to win 13 national titles from 2006-22, but no SEC team has reached any of the last three championship games.

Both have evidence to support their claims

In the first two years under a 12-team CFP format, seven different SEC schools have made eight playoff appearances. The Big Ten had four schools total seven playoff berths.

Certain metrics support the idea that the 16-team SEC is stronger than the 18-school Big Ten at the bottom. ESPN’s Bill Connelly produces the SP+ rankings, a predictive measure rating each team’s efficiency while adjusting for tempo and an opponent’s strength.

The Big Ten had three of the top four teams in the 2025 season-ending SP+ rankings, while the SEC had nobody in the top five. But seven Big Ten programs ranked below the lowest SEC team on the list: No. 67 Kentucky.

Recent head-to-head results favor Big Ten

Over the last two seasons, the Big Ten went 10-7 against the SEC, including a 3-0 playoff record and a 5-2 mark in other bowl games. The Big Ten won as an underdog in all five of those non-playoff victories.

Illinois produced two of those upsets, beating South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl in 2024 and defeating Tennessee in the Music City Bowl last season. So Bielema had reason to feel good about himself and his conference this week when he commented that SEC backers “kind of want to live in 2005 forever.”

The 2005 reference was curious because Texas won the title that season when it was still a Big 12 member, a year before the SEC began a string of seven straight titles. Bielema said he chose 2005 because that’s the year before his head coaching career began at Wisconsin.

“The transfer portal and revenue share or NIL, however you want to describe it, when those two elements came into college football, the whole world changed,” said Bielema, who went 29-34 while coaching SEC school Arkansas from 2013-17. “I mean, it’s overly obvious to say that, but I think anything to predate that is just a different time in college football. It just is.”

Big Ten capitalizes on changing times

Fourteen of the 22 playoff games over the last two years have featured Big Ten teams, including two in which conference rivals faced off. No wonder even Big Ten coaches with SEC backgrounds claim bragging rights.

“I just look at what the stats are, you know, and the last three years, the national champion has come out of this conference,” said Purdue’s Barry Odom, who went 25-25 at Missouri from 2016-19. “You also look at the number of playoff wins compared to any other conference, we’ve won twice as many as the next conference in the playoffs.”

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava has experience playing in both conferences after reaching the playoff with Tennessee in 2024.

“I think it’s two great leagues — two great, physical leagues,” Iamaleava said. “I think the SEC brings a lot of physicality, but over the years, it’s kind of leveled out in terms of the playing field.
I think everybody is able to get high-level athletes. ... I think there’s definitely a lot of tough SEC teams, so that every week is going to be a game, but I feel the same way in the Big Ten.”

The intensity of the debate frustrates coaches eager to settle it on the field, perhaps with more head-to-head matchups.

“You never hear in the NFL, ‘Wow, the NFC’s better than the AFC,’” Washington coach Jedd Fisch said. “You don’t ever hear, ’Check us out, we’ve won the Super Bowl the last few years.' We’ve kind of made this some competition rather than just take a step back and say, ‘Who cares?’ Let’s play.”

___

AP freelance writer Luke DeCock contributed to this report.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

In District 10, incumbent Chevella Young faces one challenger, Jennifer Jones. In District 14, incumbent Ricky Jernigan faces three challengers: Daniel Carlucci, Befaithful Coker, and Norbie Ronsonet.

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.

DISTRICT 10 CANDIDATES

Neither Jennifer Jones nor Chevella Young have responded to email invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

DISTRICT 14 CANDIDATES

Befaithful Coker

Occupation: Small business owner and director of non profit

Age: 51

Family: Married with blended family of six kids

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, 2 years of law school,, current PhD candidate.

Political experience: Never elected. Served on committee fir education and economic development.

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

- Safety for family and kids

- Small Business Development

- Transparency and Fiscally Responsible spending

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

I offer experience, visioned leadership that identifies creative ways to solve problems.

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

Helping to steer Lake City back focusing on proper planning centered on protecting the quality of life for citizens.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Daniel Carlucci

Occupation: Earthwork Specialist for FDOT

Age: 47

Family: Wife Theresa, Daughter Elizabeth and son DJ.

Education: HS and some college.

Political experience: Current member of Planning and Zoning board, Board of Adjustments, and Historic Preservation Agency. Board member for Kiwanis of Lake City.

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

Crime-more police patrols and gunshot detection systems in high crime areas.

Things for kids to do-improving playgrounds and bringing in more businesses that cater to children and families.

Taxes-I support the new homestead exemption law and oppose raising of any other taxes, including for raises for council members.

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

I believe we need younger, smarter people making decisions for our city. People with young children that know what the city needs to move forward in the future.

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

I would hope that people remember that I always listened to their concerns and then made decisions to support those ideas.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Ricky Jernigan

Occupation: Retired

Age: N/A

Family: N/A

Education: College

Political experience: 3+ years as City Council District 14/Vice Chair of Columbia County Tourist Development Council/North Central Florida Regional Planning Council/Clearinghouse Committee/Vice Chair of the Program Committee/Regional Planning Committee

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

1. Infrastructure

2. Taxes

3. Visionary

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

Experience with the job at hand.

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

It’s about the voters and what they want/need; roads paved, taxes, and being transparent.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Norbie Ronsonet

Occupation: automobile business

Age: 66

Family: married 4 children 2 grandchildren

Education: Graduate from Florida State University with degrees in accounting and sociology

Political experience: none

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

planned growth. .continue working the city’s plan 2050 and also revitalize downtown

workforce .... work with the schools to keep our kids local and trained to entice new business

safer and cleaner city.. work with one neighborhood at a time to make Lake City a place proud to call home

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

LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN So I can be their voice at City Hall

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

Somebody that accomplished Lake City’s goals without over burdening taxpayers

Campaign website: N/A

Campaign social media: Facebook

A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register says a nearly year-long review “provided sufficient data” to suggest the bond program effectively enforces compliance with visa conditions, and would be made permanent.

The notice is to be formally released on Monday, the day the program becomes permanent, and additional countries may be added to the list, which can be found here. The pilot program set the maximum bond amount at $15,000, with lower amounts of $5,000 and $10,000 based on a consular officer’s discretion. The final regulation raises the maximum to $20,000 and removes the $5,000 low-end payment.

The program requires holders of passports from the affected countries to pay the bond to be interviewed for business and tourist visas — known as B1 and B2 visas — to travel to the United States. The bond is refunded if the visa application is denied or, if granted, if the person adheres to the visa terms.

The Trump administration rolled out the program last August to crack down on visa overstays and as part of its broader efforts to curtail illegal migration. The government estimates that arresting and deporting visitors who have overstayed their visa costs about $18,000 per person.

State Department officials have hailed the program as a great success. In 2024, nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 countries in the program overstayed their visas, according to the notice. In the first 10 months of the pilot visa bond program, the number of overstays from those countries was fewer than 50, it said.

Critics have said it imposes an unnecessarily harsh burden on people from impoverished countries to visit family members or to pursue education or business opportunities in the U.S.

According to government projections and statistics from the first year of the program, the State Department initially expected that about 2,000 visa applicants would be required to post the bond. Instead, the department found that roughly 20,000 applicants were covered by the bond requirement.

Nearly half of those applicants chose not to pay the bond and there was an 83% decline in the number of business and tourist visas issued to citizens of countries on the list.

“The department expects that this final rule will contribute to the continued reduction of demand for B1/B2 visa applications from nationals of countries subject to the program,” the notice said.

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

Niki Goswami

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Narragansett “Narrie” Smith

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The incumbent, who has been on the school board since at least 2018, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Chris Dicks

Occupation: Engineer for the Florida Department of Transportation

Age: 51

Family: I just celebrated my 27th anniversary with my beautiful wife and mother of our four boys.

Education: Columbia County Public Schools, Florida Gateway College(formerly Lake City Community College) and the University of Florida (BS in Civil Engineering)

Political experience: To-date I have no elected experience. But, through my work as an engineer for the Florida Department of Transportation I have communicated and collaborated with officials in 18 different northeast Florida Counties to deliver a multitude of transportation improvement projects.

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

Providing Public Safety and Emergency services,

Infrastructure maintenance and expansion,

Business attraction for job growth.

Currently Columbia County ranks among the top 15-20 highest crime counties in Florida.

The County did increase the Law Enforcement budget for this last cycle by 3 million dollars. I would continue to support competitive pay in order to hire good officers. I would also support stiffer penalties for violent offenders.

The Board of Commissioners has recently admitted that their contract providing for Emergency Services is weak and insufficient to meet adequate response times. I would support bringing these services back in-house and redistributing the locations of home bases to provide better coverage to the County with reduced response times.

I’ve been an engineer, designing, signing and sealing plans for the Florida Department of Transportation for the last 25 years. I’ve ensured that designs complied with State and Federal safety criteria. I’ve estimated projects, managed budgets and schedules. I’ve coordinated with State permitting agencies, Local municipalities, County and City governments, as well as Utility agencies.

I plan to use my extensive knowledge to help Columbia County better manage, plan and execute their Infrastructure program.

I plan to partner with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce to solicit business needs and recruit those businesses. As well as collaborating with our local education partners to provide vocational training to develop a workforce capable of meeting those needs.

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

I am a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida, with extensive experience designing and building roads and transportation improvement projects.

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

That I helped make Columbia County a better place to live and raise a Family!

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Glenn Keen

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Robert Lane

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Everett Phillips

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Jody Dupree

Occupation: General Contractor

Age: 63

Family: (No response)

Education: Some College

Political experience: Past Commissioner, served on Columbia County planning and Zoning Board

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

Ensure that the Charter of columbia County and the Administrative code are followed. Create process that allow the Auditor of the county to Audit actions by the board and staff to ensure that the charter and established rules where adhered to.

Using the check and balances that have already been established as it relates to Finance, tax abatement and public information. Have the Clerk of the court which the county Comptroller perform the administrative duties that are required in lieu of commissioners using county staff. required that all economic agreements that provide tax relief are certified by the property appraiser which was the process the citizens voted for currently not being used. Ensure that all documentation is provided to the public thru searchable resources.

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

I will stay focused on the issues that matter to the people; not political issues that will benefit me as county commissioner. I will work for the people, I will not work for the government.

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

I don’t need to be remembered. I simply want to leave the community better than I found it.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Rocky Ford

Occupation: Retired

Age: 62

Family: Lisa Ford

Education: High school diploma

Political experience: “Been commissioner for 8 years

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

Property tax cuts. Cut the budget.

Funding EMS . Find the money inside the budget.

Expanding infrastructure. Through grants and expanding regional utility.

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

Through 30 years of business experience operating my own business. Planning and problem-solving.

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

North Florida water utility authority starting it from the ground floor

Campaign website: rockyforddistrict2.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Clint Pittman

Occupation: Retired Landscape and Parks Director

Cattle Rancher owner of Cow/Calf operation

Age: 57

Family: Wife of 17 years and Two grown step children

Education: AS Degree in Landscape Technology

Graduate of Graham School of Cattlemen

Political experience: Was employed by the Board of Commissioners for 26 years

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

Ensuring smart budgeting to address public safety issues with EMS, Fire staffing, and employee retainage

Monitor possible revenue losses due to property tax cuts if it passes

Better planning for growth and infrastructure maintenance on roads right growth right areas

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

Take the personalities and politics out of the Board room and make educated decisions for the people of our county with no personal gain.

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

A Commissioner that was for the people of our community, that took care of the employees and made Columbia County a better place to live.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook

Speaking for the prosecution, Mizrahi said the state has evidence that multiple people were involved in the ambush shooting that killed Bridegan in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Previously, the state had only said that Henry Tenon, the alleged hired gunman, was at the scene and fired the fatal shots after leaving a tire in the road to force Bridegan to get out of his SUV.

Now, the state has indicated that Tenon was not alone at the shooting scene.

“When the victim was killed, there is a person that fled on foot and a person that fled in a vehicle. We know that Henry Tenon left his DNA behind on that tire. And we know that Henry Tenon was not driving the pick-up truck that fled the scene,” Mizrahi said, arguing that this was proof of a deeper conspiracy in the case.

It’s unclear if the state is implying that Fernandez was driving the truck that night or if it was someone else.

Fernandez is accused of hiring Tenon to murder Bridegan, his wife’s ex-husband, because of ongoing custody disputes between the divorced couple over their twin children.

Fernandez’s now estranged wife, Shanna Gardner, is also charged in the case, along with Fernandez and Tenon.

All three are under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.

During Friday’s hearing, Mizrahi again pointed to the landlord-tenant relationship between Fernandez and Tenon as evidence that the two were connected, but said the state also has evidence of communications between the two in the days, weeks and “on the day of the particular crime.”

Finalizing motions

The bombshell revelation about the case came as Fernandez prepares for the beginning of jury selection in just over a week.

Judge London Kite is expected to decide soon on some final motions from his defense attorneys and from the prosecution.

Fernandez will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in the slaying of the 33-year-old father of four.

Prosecutors announced during a hearing earlier this week that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.

RELATED: Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez briefly discussed plea deal with state in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Jury selection for Fernandez, the first of three defendants to face trial in the case, will begin on Aug. 10.

Gardner also appeared in court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing to address issues as her trial date looms after Fernandez.

After initially planning to try Gardner and Fernandez at the same time, defense attorneys and state prosecutors have since agreed that they should face separate trials, with two separate jury selection periods.

Fernandez will go on trial first, with jury selection slated for Aug. 10-14, and his trial scheduled for Aug. 17-28.

Gardner will go on trial after Fernandez, with jury selection from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, and the trial from Sept. 8-25.

Tenon, who is also expected in court on Monday, will go on trial in March.

In 2023, Tenon pleaded guilty and admitted to being the gunman who killed Bridegan, but he has since backtracked, and a judge granted his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

Timeline: How we got here

More than four years ago, Jared Bridegan dropped his then-9-year-old twin children off at the home of his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, after a “date night” with their dad.

He left Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home on Feb. 16, 2022, with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped in her car seat in the back of his dark-colored SUV. They were headed back to St. Augustine.

But the 33-year-old Microsoft employee never made it home.

Following his normal route through the Sanctuary neighborhood, Bridegan suddenly had to stop in the area of Jacksonville Drive, America Avenue and Sanctuary Boulevard.

A tire was in the road.

When Bridegan stepped out of his SUV, he was ambushed by gunfire. At least one bullet missed Bexley by mere inches in her car seat.

RELATED | Murder-for-hire plot included practice run along Jared Bridegan’s normal route home: prosecutors

Bridegan was left lying in the street next to the SUV with the door wide open, and the shooter seemed to melt into the shadows just as quickly as he had launched his ambush attack.

None of the 911 callers that night mentioned seeing a shooter or a vehicle leaving the scene.

The state has since said that the shooter ran off on foot and someone else drove away from the scene in a pick-up truck.

LISTEN: Press play below to hear 911 calls from night of Jared Bridegan’s murder (WARNING: May include graphic content)

Eventually, detectives tracked down the man they say pulled the trigger.

Investigators say that it was all part of a murder-for-hire plot set in motion by Gardner and her second husband, Fernandez. It was a conspiracy that began in November of 2021, according to court documents.

Interactive Timeline

Alleged murder-for-hire scheme

According to detectives, Gardner was tired of sharing custody of her twin children with Bridegan.

Fernandez, she knew, could “take care of him” because of his military background, Gardner told a friend. At least that’s what the friend told investigators as she detailed the strained marriage between Gardner and Fernandez and the contentious ongoing custody battle between Gardner and Bridegan.

RELATED: A friend of Shanna Gardner said she could help in Jared Bridegan’s murder case. Here’s what she told investigators | How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan

Investigators say that’s exactly what Fernandez did, hiring Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his properties, to kill Bridegan.

In his initial interview with police in July 2022, Tenon told investigators that he had been renting a home from Fernandez in Jacksonville’s Biltmore neighborhood for several years.

Tenon’s original court records said he became involved in the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 -- just over a month before Bridegan was killed.

Investigators said when Tenon was arrested on an unrelated felony driving charge in August 2022, they questioned him about Bridegan’s murder and a Ford F-150 truck they had been searching for since the shooting.

RELATED | Follow the money: Checks written to Jared Bridegan’s admitted killer connect him to 2 accused in ‘murder-for-hire plot’ | Jared Bridegan’s wife files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 accused in his murder

Tenon was later arrested in Bridegan’s murder, and investigators said the single link between Tenon and Bridegan was Fernandez.

Again, Tenon initially pleaded guilty, but has since withdrawn his guilty plea.

He is now under indictment for some of the same charges as Gardner and Fernandez.

Gardner is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

Tenon is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon and accessory after the fact.

State prosecutors initially said they would be seeking the death penalty against Gardner and Fernandez if they were convicted, but they have since taken the death penalty off the table, with the support of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, and his family.

Of note, judicial candidates in Florida are bound by Canon 7 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which does place some limits on what they can say during a campaign, as compared to candidates for other offices.

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

Sara J. Carter

Occupation: Columbia County Judge 2021-present

Age: 47

Family: Judge Carter is married to Dr. Travis Lanaux and they have two sons, George and Jack.

Education: 2000 B.S. Florida State University

2005 J.D. Florida Coastal School of Law

Political experience: (No answer)

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

(No answer)

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

(No answer)

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

I hope to be remembered as a judge who served Columbia County with the same pride and dedication that my family has shown for generations. As a fifth-generation Columbia County native, this community isn’t just where I work - it’s home, and it’s an honor to serve the people who have given so much to my family over the years.

I want people to remember that every person who came into my courtroom was treated with fairness, dignity, and respect, and that I applied the law faithfully and impartially. If, after my time on the bench, the people of Columbia County have even greater confidence in their local courts because they know they will receive a fair hearing and be treated with integrity, then I’ll consider that my greatest accomplishment.

Campaign website: judgesaracarter.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Mark Pionessa

Campaign website: pionessa4judge.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Tom Germano

Occupation: Part-time Promotional Sales and Real Estate

Age: (No response)

Family: Married

Education: Bishop Kenny High School

BA University of North Florida

Political experience: Bradford County State Committeeman for Republican Party of Florida

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

- Over Development of Our Rural Community. I will Work to Protect the environment, preserve natural resources, and safeguard wildlife habitats. Of particular concern is a planned 700-acre technology center, which would include partnering with foreign corporations, in our community.

- Data Centers. I will work to defend our local Zoning, Permitting and Land Use, and support laws providing restrictions on AI Data Centers. I will push for an immediate moratorium on Data Centers in Bradford County.

- Support raising the state’s homestead exemption on non-school property taxes to ensure homeowners receive tax relief. I will support the Governor’s plan, and work to eliminate and highlight where excess spending in Bradford County exists.

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

I will dedicate myself full-time to the position of County Commissioner. I will hold regular town hall meetings for all citizens in the district I represent.

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

I would like to be remembered as an elected public servant whose Christian faith, integrity, honesty, and love for Bradford County made a difference in the lives of all my neighbors and community.

Campaign website: Coming soon

Campaign social media: Facebook

Paul Huntley

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Jenna Talleda

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Instagram

The Democratic candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Jason Bennett

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Jeff Clemons

Occupation: farmer for 42 yrs

Age: 60

Family: married to my beautiful wife for 14 years. we have 5 children together and 8 grandchildren.

Education: high school graduate of Bradford county

Political experience: none

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

Listen to the people of Bradford County and casting my vote in the direction they want to go instead of the direction of politics. Balancing the budget by cutting out unnecessary spending. protecting our rural way of life by regulating growth.

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

ill be honest and accountable

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

saving the rural way of life in Bradford County and sticking to my word

Campaign website: None given

Campaign social media: None found

Jimmy Smith

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Brad Thomas

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Blake Iverson

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

CJ Thompson

Occupation: Chief Operating Officer, Majority Strategies

Age: 44

Family: My wife, Jessica, and I live in Glen St. Mary with our two daughters, Kendall and Reagan.

Education: Baker County High School graduate.

Florida State University, Bachelor of Science in Finance.

Florida State University, Master of Business Administration.

Political experience: My background is in local government and public-sector leadership. I previously served as Chair of the Baker County Land Planning Agency, where I gained direct experience with land use, zoning, development, and growth-management issues before they reached the County Commission. I was later appointed County Manager for Baker County, where I managed county departments, public services, contracts, and long-term planning while working directly with commissioners, staff, and the public to deliver results.

I also served as Director of Intragovernmental Services for the City of Jacksonville, overseeing major public operations including information technology, procurement, fleet management, and 630-CITY.

That experience gives me a practical understanding of how local government works and how decisions made by elected officials affect residents, services, and taxpayers.

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 accountability in how taxpayer dollars are spent, roads and infrastructure, and responsible growth management.

First, county government must be transparent and accountable with public dollars. When millions in fund balances go untracked for years, that is not just an accounting problem. It is a failure of oversight. Taxpayers deserve to know how decisions are made, how money is spent, and whether they are getting value for their tax dollars. I will bring the experience and discipline needed to help restore that standard.

Second, Baker County residents have spoken clearly: roads need attention, and county government needs to respond with a real plan and real results. Roads, drainage, and infrastructure are basic services people depend on every day. That means disciplined budgeting, a transparent project list, and a long-term commitment to actually follow through.

Third, growth must be managed responsibly. Baker County can grow without losing the rural character that makes this community home, but that requires planning ahead rather than reacting to growth after it arrives. We need a strategic growth plan that aligns future development with infrastructure capacity, transportation needs, and long-term community goals. Growth should be directed to areas where roads, utilities, and public services can support it, while protecting agricultural and rural areas that define Baker County’s character. New development should pay its fair share and not create additional burdens for existing taxpayers.

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

My background in local government gives me a practical understanding of what county commissioners actually do, and what they do not do. Commissioners set policy, approve budgets, establish priorities, and provide oversight. They do not run the county’s day-to-day operations. Understanding that distinction matters because effective leadership requires both accountability and respect for the proper role of the office.

County commissioners make decisions that affect roads, infrastructure, growth, public safety, county employees, and taxpayer dollars. My experience gives me a practical understanding of how those decisions move from an agenda item to actual results for the people of Baker County.

I believe voters deserve a commissioner who understands the role, respects its limits, and knows how to turn priorities into results.

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

I would hope Baker County residents feel their county government worked better for them, communicated more clearly with them, and was more accountable to them. That means making meaningful progress on roads and infrastructure, strengthening accountability in county government, and putting a strategic growth plan in place so growth is managed responsibly rather than reactively.

I would also hope people remember that I listened, treated people fairly, respected the role of the office, and made decisions based on what I believed was best for Baker County.

Campaign website: cjthompson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The week before the Jacksonville Jaguars opened training camp, Hunter was photographed wearing a police vest posing with Sheriff T.K. Waters and members of the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department. It had the look of a ride-along, though Hunter wasn't saying.

“I was just out there just having fun with Sheriff T.K.,” Hunter said Friday.

Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Colorado whom the Jaguars made the No. 2 pick in last year's draft, has enough to keep him occupied in training camp. Hunter is returning from injury, his rookie year ending two months into the season when he tore knee ligaments during noncontact drills.

In seven games, he played 324 snaps at receiver and 162 snaps at cornerback. The plan to use him on both sides of the ball has not changed, especially after the Jaguars shored up the core of their secondary by re-signing Montaric “Buster” Brown in March.

Hunter has been wearing a teal jersey for offense in three days of camp, with a white bib and his No. 12 he can slip on when he plays in the secondary.

“How do we balance his reps here, knowing that we’re trying to ease him in, but he also at some point needs to get double the amount that a normal player gets,” coach Liam Coen said. “And so what does that ramp-up look like? We have it all kind of mapped out ... on every single practice schedule, his reps are highlighted in here — where he’s in, what plays he’s in, where he’s at on the field. We’ve been extremely intentional about it.”

Hunter, who had surgery Nov. 11 to repair the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, was limited during offseason workouts. But he used that time to build up some 10 pounds of muscle in his upper body and managed to get even faster.

He was clocked running at 22.6 mph at the team's facility last week.

“I was a small guy coming in. Everybody was like, ’Gain weight, gain weight,’” Hunter said. “I was scared at first. I'm like: ‘Dang, I’ve never played at this weight. I'm going to feel heavy, not going to be able to do what I do.' Training and being able to put those months in — not just on the grass but in the weight room — just putting in extra work, it made me feel lighter on my feet when I finally touched the grass.”

He looked like he was flying on grass when he ran the 22.6 mph — no pads, no one around him, not in a game — but it was another indication all was well.

“I'm trying to hit 23 now,” Hunter said. “That's the next goal.”

The Jaguars could use the production considering how much they gave up in a trade to get the second pick in 2025 — their No. 5 pick last year and No. 1 pick this year. They won nine of their last 10 games last year after Hunter was injured to win the AFC South.

For his part, Hunter feels like last year never happened in terms of his health.

“I put nine months in, so it doesn’t feel like I’m coming off an injury,” he said. "Just get the rust off right now. I’ve been gone for nine months, not able to be out here with my teammates for nine months, so finally being able to hit the grass, knock the rust off and just continue to click with the quarterbacks and click with the defense.”

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said Hunter is getting back into the flow, and the added muscle in his upper body is noticeable.

“You never want to see anybody get injured, but I think he really put his best foot forward in the weight room as he was recovering from a lower-body injury,” Campanile said. “He just looks really physical in the team work and in the individual period. So he's done a good job.”

And now it's all football, though the Engine 36 B-Shift crew said in its Facebook post for Hunter to let them know when he was ready for a ride-along.

“We promise, it's just as hot as training camp,” the post said.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Here are the most important developments across the Middle East today:

Gaza: Deal reached for Hamas to disarm, Israel to withdraw

Hamas said it will begin disarming as part of a deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump that also requires Israel to end its strikes and withdraw from Gaza.

Hamas also said that laying down its heavy weapons, which would come later in the process, was contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel’s current government adamantly rejects.

Reflecting the hurdles of the potential disarmament, a series of Israeli airstrikes shook Gaza again on Friday, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding at least four, including a child, according to officials in hospitals near the attacks. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement, calling it the only good news in recent days from a troubled region. The deal must be implemented “without any questions, skepticism, or determination to undermine it,” he told reporters.

Israel has not officially commented on the Hamas deal, which is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced last October. That agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. Israel was to withdraw and an International Stabilization Force was to be deployed.

But progress stalled, with Israel saying everything hinged on Hamas disarming, and Hamas accusing Israel of violating the agreement by continuing to carry out regular strikes on Gaza.

The war in Gaza began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry says.

The Associated Press is tracking the progress of Trump's plan to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Latest developments on the Iran conflict

No U.S. strikes were reported in Iran on Friday. Iran fired drones at Kuwait, a Gulf country hosting U.S. forces, and said it had also fired at oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and gas shipments, which has been largely closed by the fighting.

1. Kuwait's Defense Ministry said Friday its armed forces had shot down drones inside Kuwaiti airspace. It said the Iranian attacks had targeted several vital military facilities, causing material damage from falling shrapnel but no casualties. It did not specify how many drones were intercepted. Iranian state media said Iran had targeted an air base in Kuwait with drones in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Thursday.

2. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have hit two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media said four other tankers had turned around. The report did not provide further details on the tankers' ownership, or whether there were any casualties.

Elsewhere in the region:

3. Saudi Arabia has announced a plan for a defense alliance of 14 countries to strengthen maritime security, safeguard freedom of navigation and secure international trade routes and energy supply corridors in the Red Sea region. The Iran war has severely disrupted global shipping. Yemen's Houthi rebels have declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia over a separate but related conflict, putting at risk another major trade corridor .

4. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said Thursday that the coalition is “defensive in nature,” and that access “remains open to all willing countries.” Oman and the United Arab Emirates were the only two Gulf countries that did not back Saudi Arabia’s statement. Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan were among those that joined the proposed alliance.

5. A Houthi official, speaking Friday on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief the media, said the Saudi initiative won't protect its vessels — that would happen only after the Saudis lift their blockade on Yemen. Large crowds of Yemenis, meanwhile, took to the streets in the capital, Sanaa, and other Houthi-controlled areas to show support for the Iran-backed rebels and their Red Sea attacks against Saudi Arabia. The rallies were organized by the Houthis.

6. In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces set off explosions Friday to destroy an underground tunnel network under the Crusader-built Beaufort Castle that Israel says had been used by Hezbollah militants as a command center. The 12th-century castle, also known as Al-Shaqif, was seized by Israeli forces in May. It was recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List over Israel’s objections.

7. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said the Israeli operation sent “negative messages” ahead of upcoming talks in Rome. Israeli and Lebanese negotiating teams are set to meet again there to continue hammering out a plan under which Israel would withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

___

Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled contributed to this report from Cairo. Becatoros contributed from Athens, Greece.

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

Jimmy Anderson

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Ricky Horne

Occupation: Partner in Industrial Svc Co and MFG facility

Age: 59

Family: Wife

Four Children

Six Grandchildren

Education: High School Graduate

USAF

Political experience: None

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

Smart Growth for the county-more insight and review process before approving.

Transparency- making the board more approachable/friendly for people who want to have their voices heard on county matters

Protecting our rural way of life-trying to fix the infrastructure we have now and being proactive for the future rather than reactive

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

I will be honest and straight forward. You might not like what you hear, but you always hear the truth.

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

As a man of his word

Not a yes man, but one that was for the people of the county

Campaign website: rickyhorne.4commissioner.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.

MAYORAL CANDIDATES

Evan Morgan Moon

Occupation: I work in the Deli at Walmart

Age: 38

Family: Charmie (wife)

Education: Some college, Santa Fe, FGCU, Historiology

Political experience: Politics is my hobby

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

Establish a fairground the city as a whole can be proud of. If we are going to tax people, let’s give them something to show for it! This will help establish Community, and speed up our slow season which has been horrible for working people. The city funds other projects which are very nice. Here is a priority.

Housing that is ACTUALLY Affordable. Live Local, Strategic Restructuring, partnered by a cultural shift in leadership will assist in this. We need new housing, but an ounce of maintenance is worth a pound in restoration. We need both. Rising insurance costs paired with increasing taxes disrupt a delicate eco system.

Transportation that is reliable, effective, accessible. Providing basic services like this, going forward, will be doubly defined as essential. If we can support our working people, dignify ourselves, we can move then to our homeless. If we don’t, homelessness will increase, and funds for them will dry up further.

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

I am very powerful. If you care, you too will be empowered. Most people feel powerless. This doesn’t breed community. Look, most people don’t like politicians. Not all politicians are the same. You have a choice - this time.

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

I don’t think about that, but I will be known for going against state overreach very soon.

Campaign website: TBA

Campaign social media: Facebook

Harvey Ward, Jr.

Occupation: I am currently Mayor of Gainesville, but my previous career was in non-profit management and fundraising.

Age: 58

Family: My wife and I have three daughters.

Education: I’m a graduate of Eastside High, Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.

Political experience: I served two terms as a Gainesville City Commissioner and am currently serving in my first term as Mayor.

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

Public safety, both as it relates to crime and to traffic safety, and access to affordable homes. We have delivered less gun violence and fewer injuries and deaths on our streets, and we will keep doing what has worked and continue to listen to the community about how to our city even more safe. We have delivered more than 800 new affordable homes over the past four years, and we will continue to prioritize more affordable homes in the next term.

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

My experience at City Hall and a lifetime of living, working and raising a family in our community sets me apart in knowing where our issues and our opportunities lie, and my experience working with other mayors across the world through the Bloomberg Center for Cities, the US Conference of Mayors and the Democratic Mayors Association gives me a wealth of support and connections that benefits our neighbors here at home.

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

Gainesville has more than doubled in size since I was a child, and as a community of more than 150,000 neighbors, we are no longer a sleepy college town, but a mid-size university city. I hope to be remembered as having helped move our city through some growing pains in a way that helps everyone who chooses to call Gainesville home thrive.

Campaign website: wardformayor.com

Campaign social media: (None given)

DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATES

Nathan Crabbe

Occupation: I am a longtime journalist who is currently editor of The Invading Sea, a website with news and commentary on climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida. I previously spent more than 17 years as an editor and reporter for The Gainesville Sun newspaper, including nearly 10 years as opinion editor.

Age: 50

Family: My wife Colleen is a nurse practitioner in Gainesville and we have two children, ages 14 and 11, who attend public schools here.

Education: I earned a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Political experience: I have no previous political experience. As a journalist, I kept out of politics to remain objective when writing about the major challenges facing Gainesville. I’m now running for office to play a greater part in helping to solve these problems.

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

1) Affordability: I support programs to improve energy efficiency in homes and reduce utility bills. I want to increase access to starter housing for young members of our workforce as well as housing for seniors who want to be able to age in place.

2) Environment: Gainesville needs to demand responsible development and protect green spaces in our neighborhoods that lower temperatures and improve our quality of life. I support having accessible parks, connected trails and walkable neighborhoods.

3) Infrastructure: Our community should have well-maintained roads that are safe for everyone. I support having resilient infrastructure and using nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and improve water quality.

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

I have spent my journalism career helping people better understand government, holding elected officials accountable and providing platforms for people to express a diversity of opinions. These experiences would inform my approach to being a city commissioner. I would help my constituents navigate local government and ensure that it is responsive to their needs. I would listen to the concerns of a wide range of residents when considering issues before the commission and then be transparent in explaining my decisions.

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

I want to be remembered as someone who protected what makes Gainesville special while better preparing our community for the future. We face fiscal, environmental and social challenges. Local government needs to spend wisely, plan responsibly and strengthen local institutions that help residents who struggle.

Campaign website: nathancrabbe.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Nelida Jean-Baptiste Pellot

Occupation: Public Housing Inspector

Age: 40

Family: I was never able to have children but I have a dog! She’s pretty cool and keeps me safe :)

Education: I achieved my Associates in Arts for Mass Media but I was completing my Bachelors which I am trying to get back to in Sociology. I’m not sure if that the track that I will continue when I return to school because it has sadly been gutted.

Political experience: I worked on many campaigns, including trying to restore voting rights for formerly incarcerated folks. Pushes to expand Medicaid in Florida, Planned Parenthood and voter outreach including voter outreach for the Joe Biden Campaign in South Florida.

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

First, housing. As someone who works in affordable housing every day, I see firsthand the challenges families face. Housing isn’t just about having a roof over your head. It is much more than that, it’s about stability, health, education, and opportunity. We need to increase the supply of housing across all income levels ensure that those income levels can afford it, preserve existing affordable homes, modernize our land use policies, and make sure growth benefits the people who already call Gainesville home.

Second, the affordability crisis. Too many Gainesville residents are being asked to do more with less. Rising property taxes, utility bills, insurance costs, and everyday expenses are making it harder for working families, seniors, students, and small business owners to stay in the city they love. We need to make every taxpayer dollar count, look for efficiencies before asking residents to pay more, and pursue economic growth that expands our tax base instead of placing a greater burden on the people who are already here.

Third, restoring trust in local government. Too many residents feel like decisions are made without them instead of with them. I believe Gainesville City Hall should be accessible, transparent, and responsive. That means meeting people where they are, communicating clearly, and making sure residents have meaningful opportunities to shape the decisions that affect their neighborhoods. This means making choices AFTER public input, not before and performatively placing meetings ”open to the public" despite scheduling it during the work day where the most affected are often unable to attend or speak up and speak out.

At the heart of all three issues is the same principle: government should work for everyone, we work for you. It’s not just those with the loudest voices or the deepest pockets. My campaign has always been about being boots on the ground, listening first, and bringing practical, community driven solutions to Gainesville City Hall.

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

What I bring to this role is a combination of lived experience and professional experience that is uncommon.

I don’t just talk about housing. I work in it every day. I inspect homes, work alongside residents, navigate HUD regulations, and see firsthand where government policies succeed and where they fall short. That means when we’re discussing housing, neighborhood investment, or quality of life, I’m bringing practical experience, not just theory.

I’m also not a career politician. My campaign has been built by knocking on doors, having conversations, and listening to people where they live. That’s why you’ve heard me say “”boots on the ground.“” I believe the best policies come from the people who experience our city every day, not just from those who attend meetings.

Finally, my life has taught me resilience. I’ve experienced housing insecurity, rebuilt after hardship, and dedicated my career to serving others. Those experiences have shaped how I lead. I lead with my heart, with empathy, accountability, and a deep understanding that every decision we make at City Hall affects a real person trying to build a better life.

I can’t promise to have every answer, but I can promise this: I will show up, I will listen, and I will make decisions based on what is best for the people of Gainesville not politics.

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

If I’m fortunate enough to serve my people, I hope I won’t be remembered for a single vote or a single project. I hope they’ll remember that Gainesville became a city where more people could afford to live, where residents felt heard, and where local government earned back their trust.

I want to be remembered for helping tackle our affordability crisis and exacting that change, expanding housing options especially for disenfranchised folks, being a careful steward of taxpayer dollars, and making it easier for working families, seniors, and young people to build a future here.

I also hope people will remember that I changed how we engage with our community. That I showed up, listened before making decisions, and made City Hall feel more accessible and accountable to the people it serves.

At the end of my time in office, if a resident can honestly say, ”My commissioner listened, cared, and left Gainesville better than they found it,“ then I’ll consider my service a roaring success.

Campaign website: www.nelida4gainesville.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Wyatt Clark Zintiz

Occupation: Small Business Owner - All Electric Landscape Maintenance Company called Gruntscaper.

Age: 38

Family: Wife (Ashley), 2 Children (Leonidas: 2.5 Yrs & Zenaida 1.5 Yrs), & 2 Cats (Minny & Gordy)

Education: B.A. in Political Science from University of Central Florida

Political experience: None

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

Affordability: Inflation and the affordable housing crisis are national issues, but the decisions made by local elected leaders can either help or hurt the people they represent. One of the greatest impacts Commissioners can have on affordability for residents is through property tax rates, and after several years of raising them it’s past time to put a stop to any further increases. The people of Gainesville have been taxed enough, and as District 2 Commissioner I will aggressively fight against any further burdening of our community. Our government must strive to do more with less just like the people they serve are already doing in these difficult times. By eliminating administrative waste and redundancies, the City Commission can still provide core services like public safety and infrastructure maintenance without forcing working people to pay more. When so many of us are struggling to make ends meet, the last thing we need from our local government is another tax bill.

Mismanagement: The Gainesville City Commission has a history of poor decision making and mismanagement of public resources. As a former Public Works leader for the City of Gainesville I know where much of the waste, fraud, and abuse lies within our government. If elected I will work swiftly to build consensus on the removal of wasteful redundancies, realign executive salaries more closely with state averages, and identify ways to increase operational efficiency. I’ll advocate for the Commission to end expensive programs like the Downtown Ambassadors, which has done nothing but funnel 3 million dollars of Gainesville tax money to a private company from Kentucky. I will also push for a government spending transparency portal that shows the public in real time how their tax dollars are being spent, so that Gainesville can start to regain confidence in the City Commission. Because Gainesville deserves to know how their hard-earned money is being allocated, and that the people in charge are making sure it is spent efficiently.

GRU Authority: Tied to the City Commission’s history of mismanagement and their worsening of affordability for its citizens is the whole Gainesville Regional Utilities debacle. Currently, the State of Florida has preempted or taken over control of the utility, and the body created to oversee operations, the GRU Authority, will remain in place. While I personally believe local control and oversight is usually the best way to govern, the Gainesville City Commission holds much of the responsibility for getting us into this mess. Now that the GRUA’s control has been codified the best course of action for the City Commission is to find a way to collaborate and find common ground with the Authority rather than continuing to fight for control of a utility whose outcome has already been decided. As an independent commissioner and a GRU customer my focus will be entirely on stabilizing rates for consumers and getting them the best utility service at the lowest possible price.

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

My experience as a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps and my years of service as a labor crew leader in the Public Works department have given me the knowledge and proficiency needed to hit the ground running once sworn in as District 2 Commissioner. The people of Gainesville deserve a commissioner who knows how to lead others and how large, complex governmental organizations operate. That’s exactly what I have done for over a decade. By contrast, my opponents lack the practical, inside knowledge of our city’s operational structure. We simply don’t have time for on-the-job-training at City Hall during these fiscally tenuous times.

Working families in the Northwest of Gainesville need one of their own to represent them on the City Commission. I was raised in Gainesville, grew up in the Northwest, and have now started my own family right here in this beautiful piece of Old Florida. I know first-hand how rising costs and increased taxes have brought those of us who work hard and play by the rules to the brink. Now the voters of District 2 have a chance to elect an independent candidate that shares in their struggles and can bring that perspective to their local government.

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

I hope to be remembered for helping the Gainesville City Commission to regain the trust of the people it serves after decades of mismanagement and poor decision making. By leading from the front and building a consensus with commissioners around transparency and fiscal responsibility, and refocusing on the essential duties of local government the Commission can build a brighter future for the people of Gainesville. Ultimately, I hope to be remembered for leaving Gainesville with a balanced budget, a fully transparent spending portal, and stabilized local tax rates that allow working families to thrive here for generations.

Campaign website: wyattzintiz.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATES

DeJeon Cain

Campaign website: cainforgainesville.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

James Gardner

Campaign website: www.imforjamesgardneringnv.com

Campaign social media: None found

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Casey Willits

Campaign website: caseyforcommission.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Donna Bradbrook

Campaign website: www.donnabradbrook.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Democratic candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Tina Certain

Occupation: Certified Management Accountant; former Gainesville Regional Utilities finance professional; Alachua County School Board Member.

Age: 58

Family: Married, two young adult children

Education: Graduate of Gainesville High School, Santa Fe College, and the University of Florida with a BS in Accounting.

Political experience: Eight years serving on the Alachua County School Board.

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

The biggest issues in this race are affordability, responsible growth, and protecting what makes Alachua County such a special place to call home. After eight years on the School Board, I’ve seen firsthand that when families struggle to afford housing, get to work, or make ends meet, it affects every part of our community. We need to expand affordable housing, invest in transportation and good-paying jobs, make sure infrastructure keeps pace with growth, and protect our water, conservation lands, and neighborhoods so Alachua County remains a place where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

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

I bring something unique to this race: both deep experience inside public systems and a proven record of elected leadership. After 23 years of governmental accounting experience at Gainesville Regional Utilities and eight years serving on the Alachua County School Board and as a statutory board member of the Children’s Trust of Alachua County, I’ve learned how to balance budgets, make difficult decisions in public, and remain accountable to the people I serve. I’m rooted here, tested in public, and ready to deliver results by lowering costs, planning growth and infrastructure together, and protecting what makes Alachua County home.

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

I want to be remembered for helping make Alachua County a place where working families can afford to live, where growth is planned responsibly, and where we protected the natural resources and neighborhoods that make our community special. Most of all, I want people to know I led with integrity, transparency, and a willingness to speak up for the people and communities I was elected to serve.

Campaign website: www.tinacertain.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Charlie Jackson

Occupation: Retired and Consulting

Age: 68

Family: Yes, Married to Carolyn Jackson with two kids.

Education: Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Industrial Technology @ Florida A&M University, Tallahassee Florida - 1979

Master Degree in Administration and Supervision @ North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, North Carolina

Political experience: Candidate for County Commission in 2022

Vice President, Senior Class 1979 Florida A&M University

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

1) Restoring Trust and Accountability in County Government by Putting People First. 2) Protecting Citizens and 3) Protecting Tax Payer’s Money. With my platform, I am responding to this question by implementing my 3Ps. First, putting people first. With putting people first, I would implement a) fully funding programs directly supporting citizens b) enhance benefits for veterans, caregivers and first responders, c) create jobs for skilled and unskilled workers, d) connect public transportation throughout Alachua County into rural and low income areas, e) develop a Master Growth Plan creating a balance in eastern and western portions in Alachua County. Secondly, Protecting Citizens by providing Safe Communities through creating safe activity centers for our youth and elderly citizens, fixing unsafe roads and inviting gun owners to help with reducing Gun-related incidents associated with stolen guns and thirdly, Protecting Taxpayer’s Money and Investments by addressing high property taxes while eliminating non-value services provided by County Government.

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

I have a passion for people and want to secure a future for citizens in Alachua County. I am the only candidate seeking this office with over 40 years of proven leadership in the military, and in both the private and public sector. I grew up on a farm in north Florida in a family of 11 siblings so I value investing in people and ensuring that their voices are heard. I am a father, grand father, husband and veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in the 1991 Gulf War. In 1992 while serving in the military and stationed at Fort Stewart Georgia, as the Movement Control Officer in the 24th Infantry Division, I coordinated the deployment of military aircrafts, vehicles and medical personnel supporting FEMA and various agencies with the State of Florida providing needy families with food, water and much needed medical supplies to citizens in south Florida during Hurricane Andrews. No other candidate has this level of experience bringing multiple agencies (Federal, state and local) together during a disaster.

While stationed at the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) at Scott Air Force in Illinois, I worked with the Strategic Planning Department as a Strategic Planner, I worked with developing near, and long term strategic plans providing global visibility over all planes, ships and the movement of personnel worldwide. With this experience, I bring to voters the ability to build a SMART long term Growth plan for Alachua County creating a balance between eastern and western portions in Alachua County. No other candidate for Alachua County Commission, District #2 has strategic planning experience

I am the only candidate for Alachua County Commission with over 21 years of employment with Alachua County Board of County Commission whereby reaching the Senior Service level before retirement. During my employment with Alachua County, I have completed over 300 capital improvement projects exceeding $140M, all completed on time and under budget. I have effectively managed the construction of the Alachua County’s $18M Criminal Courthouse. Managed the design and construction of Florida’s FIRST GREEN Fire Rescue Station in Gainesville, Florida. I bring to the voters with over 20 years of implementing successful Alachua County’s solar, energy reduction and water conversation initiatives saving Alachua County Government $M in utilities cost. No other candidate has any experience with implementing energy reduction and water conversation projects. I have experience providing food, water and safe shelters for citizens in Alachua County during hurricanes:

Charley - Aug 2004

Jean - Sept 2004

Frances – Sept 2004

Ivan – Sept 2004

Dennis – Jul 2005

Wilma – Oct 2005 and

Katrina – Aug 2005

No other candidate has experience managing disaster related events in Florida. Having lived in 5 countries, and 7 states in the United States, I have many years working with blue collar and union workers. None of my opposition have experience working with every day workers. I bring to the voters of Alachua County a candidate with a global experience to solve many problems facing every day workers and senior citizens. During the COVID-19 era, and as a problem solvers, my staff and I provided safe, clean and disease/germ free County buildings enabling Alachua County to continue providing government services to citizens throughout the pandemic era. Having served as the Board Chairmen of the award winning Blue Ribbon Caring and Sharing Learning School for the past 20+ years, I am the only candidate with the experience meeting and exceeding educational standards by engaging the whole family concept. I want to bring about a change in how County Government delivers services to all citizens in Alachua County(Republicans, Democratic, nonpartisan and Independents) and no other candidate is willing to reach across the idle and unity the people while improving the quality of life for all people in Alachua County, but I will.

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

Bringing Americans (Republicans, Democratic, non-partisan and Independent) back into governance.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Byran Williams

Occupation: Pastor

Age: 68

Family: Wife, five children grown and gone. eight grandchildren.

Education: Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe Collage, and St. Petersburg Collage

Political experience: 20 years experience as Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioner for the City of High Springs.

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

Affordable Housing: I would support a wide range of housing types, workforce, apartments, townhomes, accessory units, senior housing.

Amendment 3: I would have public education for voters and contingency planning for county finances and services.

Roads and transportation: Prioritizing road maintenance, traffic flow, transit access, and safer connections between communities.

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

I bring 20 years of proven government leadership. I have helped manage annual budgets, enact local laws and ordinances, decide rezoning and land-use cases, and appoint key managers and attorneys. That experience matters. It means I understand how government works.

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

The People’s Commissioner

Campaign website: byranwilliamscampaign.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

Lissa Braddock

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The incumbent, first elected to the Nassau Co. school board in 2018, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Angel Foster Cole

Campaign website: angelcole4schoolbo.wixsite.com/angel-cole-candidate

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

Laura Dotson

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Douglas Greene

Occupation: (No response)

Age: 65

Family: Married 40 years, 3 adult children, 1 grandchild

Education: Cornell University, B.S. 1982

Political experience: None

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

Transparency

Responsiveness

Fiscal Responsibility

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

Significant Business Experience.

For more than 44 years, I have built a career based on leadership, accountability, and service. After spending 18 years with Marriott, I proceeded to build and operate my own hospitality company, Haberhill LLC, in 2000, growing it into a successful business that at its peak owned five hotels, with 4,600 rooms, employing nearly 2,000 people, generating more than $300 million in sales and $84 million of operating profit.

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

Leaving Nassau County in better long term fiscal shape and changing the relationship of the county commission to its constituents

Campaign website: www.greene4d2.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

A.M. “Hupp” Huppmann

Campaign website: votehupp.com

The Republican incumbent, first elected in 2022, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

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

James Austin Galloway

Occupation: Attorney

Age: 40

Family: Mercedes Galloway, M.D. and James Austin Galloway, Jr.

Education: Florida State University; Florida Coastal School of Law

Political experience: Florida Senate Majority Office; Jacksonville Young Republicans

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

Infrastructure, accountability, and supporting our local businesses. We need to ensure our roads keep pace, taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly, and that we support local businesses and agriculture while creating opportunities for quality jobs.

I will work cooperatively with staff, the School Board, and our constitutional officers to address issues proactively and plan for the future. I also believe strongly in supporting law enforcement and our veterans, working with the City of St. Augustine, and representing the entire community across party lines.

As a fifth-generation Floridian, business owner, father, and Christian, I bring a detailed, approachable, and responsive style of leadership focused on being thorough, forward-thinking, reliable, and results-driven.

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

A results-driven approach, backed by legal experience and accountability.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office? (No answer)

Campaign website: jamesgalloway.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Krista Keating-Joseph

Occupation: Current Board of County Commissioner for St. Johns County D4 and award winning author of children books and novel.

Age: 65

Family: Gold Star Mother with 5 children and 8 grandchildren. My husband passed away in January from ALS and was an Olympic medalist and hand surgeon in St. Johns County. My son, Navy SEAL Charles Keating IV, was KIA in Teleskop, Iraq fighting ISIS and was awarded the highest military honor, the Navy Cross.

Education: University of Arizona with a BA in radio television and marketing.

Political experience: I am the current County Commissioner, and for the past 4 years I have slowed the growth, cut taxes, reduced clear cutting, successfully advocated for services such as libraries, and I have proudly represented YOU.

I previously was Governor appointed and confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Citrus County Hospital Board.

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

1. Continuing to slow the growth as I began to do four years ago. Prior to my election, (from 2020 to 2022), St. Johns was the fastest growing county in the state. I was elected at a time when our heavily developer-funded commissioners were approving close to 100% of developments of undeveloped land that came before them. Residents #1 issue was to slow explosive, unchecked growth, and that continues to be the top issue for our county. Overdevelopment causes traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, loss of its #1 ranking, loss of wildlife habitat and loss of quality of life. I have slowed the growth and will continue to do so, primarily by denying residential development when legal and appropriate.

2. Preserving the tree canopy, including the Guana Reserve as our county’s growth continues. I fought hard for a 14-point tree ordinance that included reducing clearcutting from a very high 95% for PUD’s. The developer-controlled majority on the board gutted that ordinance, caving to developer interests. I will address this issue by re-introducing this ordinance, in hopes that the newly elected board will have a majority that is not developer funded.

3. Ban all Data Centers in St. Johns County, day 1. Data centers threaten natural resources and eliminate vast areas of wildlife habitat.

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

As your current county commissioner, there is no learning forme. I know who to reach out to on our staff and solve problems quickly. I also have a voting record to prove that what I promised 4 years ago I will continue to fight for… and I will fight for YOU!

One of my opponents was recruited to run by a current pro-developer commissioner. This opponent is expected to vote accordingly, if elected.

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

I hope to be remembered for representing my constituents, responding to their needs and voting as I promised I would. Two examples of this are 1) slowing the growth which has occurred since I became commissioner, and 2) moving public comment from the end of the meeting to the beginning to encourage more residents to participate in their government - as they have done.

Campaign website: www.votekrista.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Sam Williams

Campaign website: samforstjohns.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Republican candidate has not yet completed the News4JAX candidate questionnaire following email and telephone invitations to do so. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

The deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. EDT.

Skubal — a 29-year-old left-hander who will be a free agent this offseason — is in the midst of another strong year for the Detroit Tigers after winning back-to-back Cy Youngs in 2024 and 2025. The left-hander missed about five weeks earlier in the season because of surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow, but he has bounced back quickly.

He's been excellent over his last five starts, with a 2.03 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 31 innings.

One thing complicating Skubal's availability is the Tigers have played better of late and they're hanging around the American League wild-card race, just 4 1/2 games back for the final playoff spot going into Friday's games — albeit with five teams ahead of them. But if a juicy offer is presented, it'll be hard to say no.

Detroit's uncertain playoff fate is a common problem for teams as the deadline approaches.

There is a handful of obvious buyers at the deadline like the Yankees, Rays, Brewers, Braves and Dodgers. There is also a small group of obvious sellers like the Rockies, Giants, Angels, Mets, Athletics and Royals.

But that leaves nearly 20 other teams who are in the middle and could be buyers, sellers or a combination of both.

Here's a look at some of the top trade candidates as Monday's deadline approaches.

The starting pitchers

— Peralta, Mets: The right-hander has had a disappointing season, which is a common refrain for the Mets, but his strikeout numbers are still good. He was excellent for the Brewers over the previous three seasons. If he can fix his command issues, he could help a contender.

— Joe Ryan, Twins: Another powerful arm, the right-hander has been an All-Star in each of the past two seasons. It's unclear if the Twins are buyers or sellers in a crowded American League race — they added reliever A.J. Minter from the Mets on Friday, so continued buying seems more likely. If the Twins decide to move Ryan, though, it could bring back a solid return.

— Foster Griffin, Nationals: The veteran lefty has been outstanding in his return to MLB after spending three seasons in Japan with a 12-2 record and 2.76 ERA. The Nationals are still in the mix for a playoff spot in the National League, but they will likely still be willing to listen to offers.

— Reid Detmers, Angels: The left-hander has been a bright spot in a mostly dismal season for the Angels with 145 strikeouts in 125 innings. Los Angeles will want a sizable return for the 27-year-old, who is still under team control for the next two seasons.

— Clay Holmes, Mets: The 33-year-old made a successful transition from reliever to starter in 2025 and was having another solid season before he fractured his right fibula on a comeback liner in May. The right-hander is in the midst of a minor-league rehab assignment and nearing his return.

— Robbie Ray, Giants: The two-time All-Star and 2021 Cy Young winner doesn't have the wipeout, strikeout stuff that he possessed early in his career, but he's been very good for San Francisco this season with a 10-6 record and 3.08 ERA.

The relief pitchers

— Miller, Padres: The game's most dominant closer, Miller has a jaw-dropping 85 strikeouts over 45 2/3 innings, 28 saves and an 0.79 ERA. Relievers usually don't command huge returns during trade deadline deals, but Miller is an exception, particularly because the 6-foot-5 righty is still under team control for three more years.

— Adrián Morejón, Padres: The left-handed Cuban has been a key part of the Padres' bullpen for the past three seasons. He's a free agent after the season which means he could be on the move.

— Luke Weaver, Mets: The veteran righty has found his niche after making the full-time move to the bullpen in 2024. He's not necessarily a closer, but he does have some experience in the role. He was very good for the Yankees in the playoffs during their run to the World Series in 2024.

— Jeff Hoffman, Blue Jays: The right-hander lost his job as the team's closer earlier this season, but his strikeout numbers are still excellent with 72 punchouts over 46 innings.

Position players

— Luis Arraez, Giants, 2B: The three-time batting champion and four-time All-Star is in the midst of one of his best seasons and has flashed improved defense at second base. He is an elite contact hitter who rarely strikes out and is a free agent after the season.

— Ryan Jeffers, Twins, C: Jeffers recently returned from the injured list and has a career-high .928 OPS this season. His ability to provide pop from the right side will make him a popular trade target, though the Twins might not be willing to make a deal since they're still in the playoff hunt.

— Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays, OF: The 30-year-old slugger is one of the game's better athletes and won a Gold Glove in 2024. He's an upcoming free agent, but he has playoff experience and can still provide great defense with some left-handed power.

— CJ Abrams, Nationals, SS: Washington will want a big return for the All-Star shortstop, who is in the midst of his best year and is under team control for the next two seasons. But if a contender is willing to offer a big package of prospects, the ascending Nationals will likely listen.

— Zach Neto, Angels, SS: Neto has been one of the Angels' best players over the last three seasons. He's a solid defender and provides a good amount of right-handed power, though his strikeout numbers have been high this season.

— Luis García Jr., Nationals, 1B: The left-handed slugger has quietly put together his best season with 23 homers and 76 RBIs. He doesn't walk much, but has one more year of team control and is still just 26 years old.

___

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

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on Friday jointly announced the proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act, a law that requires regulators to document how well banks do in lending to low-to-middle income neighborhoods. It would be the first major revision of the law’s rules and regulations in nearly three decades.

Under the proposed revisions, bank examiners would put more weight on the lending banks do in certain communities and geographies, and less on how many branches they open or how much in deposits they take in from a local community.

The number of banks that would need to comply with the law would be reduced as well. The definition of a small bank will increase from banks with under $412 million in assets to banks with $1 billion in assets. Banks between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets will now be classified as an intermediate bank.

This would reduce the number of banks who need to comply with parts of the CRA by 800 banks. Only 86 banks, or roughly 3% of all institutions, would be subject to the full extent of CRA under the new regulations.

Another change that is likely to be fought over relates to how banks give money to community development groups. Under the CRA, banks can donate money to local organizations that do poverty or low-income housing work in their communities to show they are providing resources to a local community. The new regulations could narrow the groups and programs that banks could donate to in order to meet those obligations.

In a summary of the changes, the bank regulators said these changes would ensure community development grants “are not diverted to activist causes or consumed by excessive operating costs.” Banks would also need to collect more detailed information on who gets their community grants, including addresses, which would give more transparency to who is receiving grants from banks.

That change could negatively impact groups like the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, an umbrella group for community development groups that often receive money from banks under the CRA. The new rules discourage banks making grants to national organizations and instead focus their grants on local groups.

Jesse Van Tol, the CEO of NCRC, said that it was “unfortunate” that the bank regulators were politicizing grant making under the CRA.

“CRA was created to work for low-to-middle income people. A lot of these changes are going to discourage banks from making grants, particularly in rural areas, where I expect there will be significant drops in activity,” Van Tol said.

The proposal announced Friday by the OCC and FDIC did not include the other major bank regulator, the Federal Reserve. Banking groups had been pushing for a joint proposal from all three regulators, to make sure all three were aligned on the same requirements under the CRA.

The CRA was passed in 1977 to combat redlining, a practice whereby banks would discriminate against the poor and minorities by choosing not to lend or open branches in minority-majority neighborhoods or in poor neighborhoods.

The law is complex, requiring banks to document how they do business in the cities and areas they operate in. Banks must sit for regular examinations to see whether they are complying with the law. A bad CRA examination could restrict a bank’s ability to open new branches or merge with another bank or have other consequences. The data collected through CRA is also used by the Department of Justice in redlining cases.

The last major revision of the CRA’s regulations happened in 1995, and there have been repeated attempts by administrations of both parties to update the rules to reflect how banking and financial services have changed in the past 30 years. But those revisions have repeatedly failed, either due to opposition from other regulators, the banks, or community groups, or have been blocked by courts. The Biden administration tried its own revisions of the CRA rules but those changes were blocked by courts in Texas.

The proposed rules will now go out for a 60-day comment period where they will be finalized after banks, community groups and other parties have a chance to weigh in on the changes.

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

Heather Brofford

Campaign website: www.heatherbrofford.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Tim Burres

Occupation: Retired Law Enforcement Deputy Sheriff, 25 years.

Age: 56

Family: Wife, 3 children and 2 grandchildren

Education: St. Augustine High School

Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, Flagler College

Political experience: Seeking First term

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

1. I will manage growth on future developments, form partnerships with the community and stakeholders. We must prioritize infrastructure, protect our green spaces and manage rezoning requests strictly. We need to update codes to encourage mixed use developments that are community friendly and reduce sprawl.

2. I will address current traffic needs and making improvements to alleviate congestion. Make sure traffic studies are completed in a timely manner to get maximum benefit of existing traffic signals/patterns. Ensure our citizens are protected by putting in place community safety programs.

3. I will always be transparent, accessible and listen to taxpayer concerns. I will maintain availability through regular meetings with citizens and stops at our great local businesses. Communication will not stop after the election! I will forge a professional working relationship with others and maintain the highest level of ethics/morals. I will be a strong advocate for making St. Johns County the best place to live, work and raise a family. "

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

Having lived in St. Johns County for 54 years, I have witnessed the changes firsthand. I have observed the things which have worked and failed. Having that direct knowledge, I will not repeat the mistakes of the past and have formed a clear vision and plan on how St. Johns County can remain the best place to call home.

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

As a loyal/faithful servant to the citizens of St. Johns County and as a person who cares deeply for the future of our great community.

Campaign website: votetimburres.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Will McMullan

Occupation: I have spent my career analyzing complex financial and business challenges and developing practical, long-term solutions. Early in my career, I worked in finance, including investment banking, hedge funds, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and wealth management, where I evaluated major investments, managed portfolios, and advised businesses ranging from local companies to international organizations. Those experiences taught me to ask difficult questions, understand long-term financial impacts, and make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. Since returning to St Johns County, I have worked across finance, real estate, technology, and consumer packaged goods. Today, I manage an annual sales portfolio in excess of $80M where I am responsible for developing long-term business strategies, managing budgets, negotiating with executives, and making data-driven decisions that deliver measurable results. I believe my experiences have prepared me to be a solutions-focused commissioner who evaluates every issue on its merits and works to deliver practical results for the people of our county.

Age: 37

Family: I have proudly called St Johns County home since I was two years old. I grew up here, was baptized and married at Christ Episcopal Church, attended preschool there before attending PVPV (Ponte Vedra Palm Valley) Elementary School, The Bolles School (beginning at the St Augustine campus), and graduating from Bishop Kenny. This community helped shape my values and my principles. After graduating from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where I met my wife during our first week of our freshman year, I began my career in New York City before returning home when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer so I could be close to my family during a difficult time and take care of her. My father passed away when I was a teenager and my mother was my rock. I have remained here ever since. Having lived in four countries and visited more than sixty, I have come to appreciate just how unbelievably special St Johns County truly is. Today, my wife and I are expecting our first child, making this campaign deeply personal. I want my daughter to grow up enjoying the same safe neighborhoods, natural beauty, strong schools, sense of community, and opportunities that make St Johns County such a wonderful place to call home.

Education: I earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Business Management & Environmental Science and a Master of Letters (M.Litt.) in International Finance from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. My education provided a strong foundation in finance, economics, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational management while teaching me to evaluate complex issues objectively, think critically, and develop practical, evidence-based solutions grounded in sound judgment and long-term outcomes.

Political experience: While I have not previously held elected office, I believe that to be a strength rather than a weakness. I have spent my career leading organizations, managing budgets, solving complex problems, and bringing people together to achieve practical results. I approach challenges by listening first, evaluating the facts, and developing practical solutions rather than relying on political talking points. I believe those experiences are exactly what effective local government requires.

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

1. The first is responsible growth or rather lack thereof. Growth itself isn’t necessarily the problem, but poorly planned growth is. Growth should improve St Johns County and the life of our residents, not diminish what makes it special. I will insist that roads, schools, utilities, and public safety keep pace with development while protecting our natural resources and quality of life.

2. The second is economic opportunity. Too many residents (approximately 72,000 residents) leave the county every day to travel to surrounding counties for work. I plan to address this by working to actively recruit employers in fields such as healthcare, technology, advanced and precision manufacturing, and professional services to create more opportunities closer to home.

3. The third is diversifying our tax base. Approximately 87% of our county’s ad valorem tax revenue comes from residential property, while only 13% comes from commercial, industrial, and agricultural property. By comparison, the statewide average is closer to 65% residential, which highlights just how unbalanced our current tax structure is. That leaves our county overly dependent on housing growth and places too much of the tax burden on homeowners. We should be actively recruiting high-quality employers across multiple industries, as expanding our commercial and industrial tax base will create better-paying local jobs, reduce the need for residents to commute outside the county, generate more diverse county revenue, and lessen our reliance on residential development. Ultimately, that will create a stronger economy, protect taxpayers, reduce the influence that continued housing growth has over our county’s finances, and provide greater opportunities for families to live, work, and thrive in St Johns County. These challenges require practical, long-term solutions, not short-term political sound bites.

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

I bring a unique combination of lifelong local knowledge and international business experience. Throughout my career, I have managed significant budgets, negotiated complex agreements, led teams, and made decisions affecting millions of dollars. Those experiences have taught me to evaluate facts objectively, ask difficult questions, and focus on practical, long-term solutions rather than politics or short-term gains. I am a solutions-focused candidate who believes government exists to solve problems, not simply identify them. Good leadership means listening, evaluating the facts, building consensus where possible, and delivering measurable results for residents.

Just as importantly, I am not running to represent special interests. I am running to represent the people of St Johns County. Every decision I make will be guided by one principle: Will this decision improve the lives of the people of St Johns County? That’s the standard I will use as your County Commissioner.

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

I would hope to be remembered for leaving St Johns County stronger than I found it and be remembered as a commissioner who approached every challenge with integrity, common sense, and a commitment to finding real solutions that improved people’s lives. I want to protect the character, history, culture, and natural beauty that make our community special while ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with growth. I also want to create greater economic opportunity by attracting high-quality employers so our children and grandchildren can build successful careers here in St Johns County without feeling they have to leave home. If I can also leave behind a more transparent, accountable government that puts residents first, and that improves rather than diminishes their way of life, I will consider my service a success.

Campaign website: www.wmcmullan.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Martin Valerian Pyszczymuka

Occupation: Small business owner - my business is out of state and professionally managed, so will devote full time to being county commissioner. I retired from the FBI where I was a special agent investigating white collar crime, complex financial crimes, fraud and public corruption. I took on additional responsibilities and put myself in harm’s way as a SWAT Team Operator (Breacher/Medic), apprehending child predators, an ISIS loyalist and other violent criminals. Previously, as a Federal Air Marshal, I was on the Global Response Team (an elite unit formed for the highest risk missions). Later, I became an instructor at the Federal Air Marshal Service Training Center where I instructed mission tactics, firearms, and defensive measures.

Age: 46

Family: Wife-Ava, Daughter-Amelia, Son-Luke

Education: Master of Business Administration and BA in Economics. PMP (Project Management Professional certification) Scholarship athlete, Co-captain of Rutgers Football Team; Dean’s List.

Political experience: This is my first foray into politics.

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

1. My top issue is the reckless overdevelopment that has negatively impacted quality of life. Traffic congestion is the #1 complaint, as 30% of our roads are over 100% capacity. Overcrowded schools have resulted in hundreds of portable classrooms which are unsafe. Our schools have even lost their #1 statewide ranking.

2. My other top issue is wasteful spending and a bloated budget that is burdening residents with high taxes. My predecessor put three taxes on the ballot; it’s time to focus on eliminating waste. As the only commission candidate who qualified via petition, and going door-to-door, I’ve talked to well over 4,000 residents, and I’ve learned that these two issues are the reasons many residents are actually leaving the county.

3. The Tallahassee takeover of home rule is exacerbating our top issue which is reckless overdevelopment. Several state bills have been passed that allow development to be fast-tracked with little to no local oversight and approval. We were already suffering the effects of Live Local which undermines our ability to limit building height and density. And now SB 180 pretends to protect residents rebuilding after hurricanes, but a last-minute revision to the bill can call anything from tree protections to comprehensive plan changes “burdensome to developers.“ I went to Tallahassee to fight SB 354 which puts 35,000 acres of untouched land in SJC in jeopardy, and I will fight it again when it comes back.

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

As a former FBI agent, I am the only candidate with specialized training and experience investigating white collar crime, complex financial crimes, fraud and public corruption - skills that will enable me to review complex financial proposals with an eye to conflicts of interest and even fraud. I’m trained to look deep beneath the surface level. I know where corruption hides and how to find it. As a small business owner who has an MBA specializing in entrepreneurship, I understand the needs and challenges of business owners, and the support they need. Our county should be run like a business: leaner, smarter, and as if it’s our money we’re spending, not someone else’s. We’ve watched our budget increase by 106% from 2020 - 2026, yet our population has only increased by 32%. I plan to get to the bottom of how our budget got so bloated to determine how and where we can control spending. My opponents seem to be using the fact that they’re local to justify not putting in the time to meet and speak with thousands of residents that I have. One of them has a banking career while she’s serving as commission; I will be full-time commissioner. Another opponent lacks integrity and had to remove four fraudulent endorsements from his website. And another opponent defended several candidates with election violations. Character and qualifications count. And I have both.

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

A commissioner who slowed the growth and protected St. Johns County for future generations. One with integrity that restored accountability in the county government and always put the interests of the county residents first.

Campaign website: www.votemartin2026.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

Officials said there is no threat to the public and this is an isolated incident.

“At this stage of the investigation, department members have thoroughly processed the scene, conducted interviews, and are continuing to follow all available leads to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the agency said on its Facebook. “As with any active investigation, the department is committed to conducting a complete and impartial investigation before drawing conclusions.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Clark at 912-946-2566 or the Glynn County Police Department Non-Emergency number at 912-554-3645. Anonymous tips can also be sent to the Silent Witness number at 912-264-1333.

Until now, the answer has been a doting home health aide from Haiti named Martha Nelson. But with the Supreme Court sanctioning a White House immigration crackdown, Nelson’s permission to stay in the country appears likely to be yanked within days, leaving French worried.

“She’s with me all the time,” says French. “Life would be impossible.”

As the Trump administration unwinds years of protections for hundreds of thousands of people from Haiti, twin populations of vulnerable people find themselves in the crosshairs: caregivers in jobs to which those immigrants have flocked, and the older adults and disabled people who rely on them.

Around the U.S., care homes and home health agencies are bracing for the loss of workers with TPS, which stands for temporary protected status, even as they continue to reel from other immigration policy changes that have squeezed an already short-staffed industry.

For businesses, it is a predicament that could hurt bottom lines and tax remaining workers. For their clients, it threatens to upend every aspect of their lives.

“They have become like family,” says Katy Sanchez, who lives in a group home for disabled people in Nanuet, New York, run by The Arc Rockland, which stands to lose 19 caregivers with TPS, on top of 20 others it lost in immigration changes last year. “If they are forced to leave, it would be devastating.”

Supreme Court ruling paved the way

The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration last month, saying it could end temporary protected status. The ruling specifically pertained to 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, but immigration advocates and legal observers say it could be applied to a broader group of 1.3 million people from 17 countries.

The justices' move has been met with weeks of confusion. Immigration officials subsequently granted several extensions to TPS holders that carried through Monday. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued guidance Wednesday affirming TPS was over, though some attorneys and labor unions have argued work authorization remains intact until lower courts lift an injunction.

The Department of Homeland Security made light of the TPS expiration, referencing lyrics from a 1998 hit song: “It’s closing time, which means you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”

Fearful they might be in breach of the law, some employers have begun terminating TPS holders, to the dismay of their clients.

Anna Fischbein grew accustomed to visits to her home in Sunny Isles, Florida, from the same kindly Haitian health aide every week for the past 10 years. But Jewish Community Services of South Florida terminated the aide along with 17 others when their TPS lapsed.

“I lost not only a lady working for me,” the 87-year-old Holocaust survivor says, her voice broken by sobs. “I lost a friend.”

Facilities scramble to come up with replacement workers

Around 1 in 5 workers in the U.S. is foreign born, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but immigrants are overrepresented in caregiving roles. Among home health aides, for example, one-third are immigrants, according to PHI, a nonprofit focused on the caregiving workforce.

In lives upended by age or disability, a cherished caregiver is a lifeline. For someone living in their own home, they may be the last line of defense before institutionalization. For those in a care facility, they may be their strongest advocate, who notices subtle changes before anyone else, ensures small comforts like dollar-store word search books, and brings a sense of humanity to the humiliation of being incontinent.

“They are the first people they see when they wake up in the morning and they’re the last ones that they see before they go to bed,” says Simone Smith, vice president of human resources at Cabrini of Westchester, a nursing home in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where eight Haitians with TPS await word of their fate.

Like similar facilities around the country, Cabrini is prepared to scramble to secure replacement staffers from nursing agencies and plead with remaining workers to take overtime shifts. Cabrini’s workforce is about 75% immigrant. Among those with TPS, Smith senses “almost a hopelessness.”

A Haitian who loses TPS faces an unbearable choice: Attempt to stay in the U.S. and find underground work, tiptoeing through life with fear that authorities will eventually find and remove them. Or return to a country so plagued by gang violence and poverty that many believe it would amount to a death sentence.

“I’m afraid all the time,” says a Haitian man working at a Brooklyn nursing home who asked for anonymity because of concerns for the safety of himself and his family. “I pay tax to the country. I’m a good person. … All I want is to work. When you work, you are a person.”

Families wonder what they will do

Outside a simple brick house in Queens, Nelson stands guard as French steps through her door. On the porch, you might mistake the two for old friends, their bond as much an illustration of what is at risk as it is of how much things have changed.

The women made the same journey, from Port-au-Prince to New York, four decades apart.

French was drawn here in 1970 by the potential opportunities she saw. She built businesses as a hairdresser and seamstress. Her late husband made his way as an electrician and contractor. They bought their home. Their children got good educations. They believed they achieved the American dream.

Nelson came after an earthquake flattened Haiti in 2010. At home, she ran a butcher shop, but after arriving in New York she found work in caregiving roles. She began working for French about three years ago after French fell and broke her hip. Nelson, now 69, has been with her nearly every weekday since.

Both women felt welcomed by the U.S. when they arrived. But French is saddened to see how views on immigrants have evolved.

“America is a good country,” French says, “but it has changed.”

Nelson brings leftovers, tends to French’s chores and is a source of companionship. They watch the news together and talk in Haitian Creole about their families. On weekends, Nelson calls to make sure French has gotten up from bed and nags her to eat.

“On my days off, I think about her,” Nelson says.

French says Nelson has become like family. Nelson agrees, saying she sees French as if she’s her own mother, a show of affection and the source of the pair’s one ongoing dispute.

“You’re not like my daughter,” French protests. “You’re like my sister.”

For now, the two continue their routine, knowing each shift may be Nelson's last. She keeps a copy of her work authorization zipped in a black cloth pouch that she carries everywhere, in case she is stopped. Each Sunday, she sinks to her knees in church, praying for an answer. She worries for herself and for French.

“It makes me feel depressed,” Nelson says. “It could be difficult for her without me.”

___

Salomon reported from Miami.

___

Matt Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://x.com/sedensky

“It’s extremely important to us,” said Itai Nixon, who leads the diaspora department for Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. “We’re the state of the Jewish people, not just Israelis.”

Lesley Sachs, who has protested the current Israeli government and chairs the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, also considers a close relationship with diaspora Jews a “strategic asset” for both Israel and Jews worldwide.

So she’s greatly concerned about diaspora Jews losing the sense that Israel can be a homeland for them, especially as rising antisemitism targets them regardless of political and religious affiliations.

“That was always really, really important that everybody around the world, especially after the Holocaust, knows that there is a country that will always take them,” Sachs said in her synagogue in Tel Aviv. “This is already a few generations after, and this is less prominent in their DNA. And I think that this is really a failure on the part of both Israel and world Jewry, that we have not managed to keep that prominent.”

Since 2000, Taglit-Birthright Israel has brought a million Jewish young adults from the United States and elsewhere for a free 10-day “discovery” tour of Israel. The organization’s CEO says it’s more necessary than ever to show what their connection to Israel could be like beyond controversial politics.

“That really increases the importance of my job to expose people to what they give up on,” said Gidi Mark. “What we give them is a mirror.”

The staunch Israel-US relationship shows some cracks

Israel and the United States have long been staunch allies. U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington earlier this week to discuss the war against Iran they launched together five months ago.

“The United States is perceived as the best friend of Israel in the entire world, and that’s still the case,” said Tamar Hermann, who directs the Israel Democracy Institute’s Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research in Jerusalem.

Divisions over the ceasefire in the Iran war, however, have weakened Jewish Israelis’ belief that Trump prioritizes Israel’s security — from 64% in March to 26% in June — according to the center.

Amid diplomatic tensions, the role of Jewish Americans who historically lobbied for political, military and financial support for Israel gains new prominence, Israelis said. And that deepens the concern that many young progressive Americans, including Jews, now see supporting Israel in any way as irreconcilable with their worldview.

The decline in support for Israel has become particularly stark since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack when Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians in southern Israel, and abducted 251 others. Israel’s ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, which was part of the recently dissolved Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.

That in turn ignited protests across the United States, especially on college campuses.

“Holocaust, refugees, the importance of Israel in times of need abroad, and the fact that Israel is a small country fighting for its existence … that’s history they read in a book,” Sachs said of younger Jewish Americans. “They weren’t emotionally part of it in any way or any form. And so they look at their values and the things that they believe in. And they don’t see it in Israel.”

Jewish Americans have a complicated relationship with Israel

Only about 4 in 10 religious Jewish adults under 45 in the United States say that supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important for their Jewish identity, while about half of older religious Jewish adults do, according to the AP-NORC poll.

The survey of 1,022 Jewish adults — including people who identify as Jewish by religion and religiously unaffiliated people who identify as Jewish through culture, ethnicity or family background — also found that only about half of religious adults say Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza are justified. The number drops to 2 in 10 among Jewish adults without a religious affiliation.

At the same time, about 6 in 10 Jewish adults say prejudice against Jewish people is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the United States today.

To many Israelis, safety threats against Jews make it all the more tragic — and dangerous — that young Jewish Americans do not see the state of Israel as a refuge or even an ally.

“Antisemitism sadly helps us to explain why a Jewish homeland is not a bad idea,” said Asaf Zamir, a deputy mayor of Tel Aviv who served as consul general in New York. “Opposing the government is fine, but you cannot understand your history as a Jew without understanding the part of Israel in it.”

Israel reaches out to secular and liberal Jews in North America

In order to promote deeper attachment between Israel and diaspora Jews, both the government and religious organizations are reinforcing exchange programs. For decades, young Israelis have traveled to Jewish summer camps across North America, and non-Israeli Jews get free trips to Israel.

“To see Israel and meet Israelis is the gold standard,” Itai Nixon said of programs bringing teens to the country.

Taglit-Birthright’s Gidi Mark said that since 2023, with multiple wars, tour participants are fewer — and their reactions to touring Israel have also changed. He recalled one participant shouting “Israel! Israel!” outside his hotel just because he felt safe to express himself.

“These people don’t feel free to experience who they are in the places that they are coming from,” Mark said.

These and other initiatives are focusing on secular Jews and adherents to Reform Judaism. The largest branch of the religion in North America, it emphasizes progressive values such as social justice.

Orthodox Jews abroad tend to have stronger ties to Israel — and Orthodox Jews in Israel tend to see themselves as closer to diaspora Jews than do secular Israelis, Hermann said.

Within the Israeli Reform movement, which is a small part of Judaism in the country, there’s a push to send more young Israelis to the United States, including as camp counselors.

“That kind of action is important, that one-on-one connection saying, ‘You know what, we believe in the same things you do. Really, we have the same ideology in general, and we feel we need to change Israel together,'" Sachs said. “We need to be partners in making Israel the country that we all need.”

Alma Edry, 18, is spending two months as a counselor at a progressive Jewish summer camp in Ontario with teens and young adults from Canada and the United States. She said her biggest surprise has been “that Israel is such a big deal for people outside the country.”

“Most of their friends are anti-Israel,” she said of the campers. “This is their chance to celebrate their connection.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Operation LERP, led by JSO’s Narcotics Unit, targeted those trafficking and distributing drugs throughout Jacksonville’s Urban Core and downtown corridor. Several of those arrested were accused of selling dangerous drugs near schools and churches.

The operation is not fully closed. JSO has 12 active arrest warrants outstanding for individuals identified during the investigation. Once those suspects are taken into custody, the total number of dealers and traffickers arrested will reach 99.

Authorities say illegal drug activity poses a direct threat to those who live and work in downtown Jacksonville. JSO officials also say such activity undermines ongoing revitalization efforts across the Urban Core.

Operation LERP was funded through the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication — or SAFE — Grant.

The operation appears to be named after an infamous statue design for Riverfront Plaza that featured a giant chrome ‘Jax’ statue. Many critics thought it looked more like the word ‘lerp’.

Anyone with information about suspected drug activity in their community is asked to call 904-630-0500 or email Narc.Tips@jaxsheriff.org

READ MORE: Who’s running for Duval County School Board District 4? Meet the candidates

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

Alfreda Denson Butler

Occupation: Educator, currently at Mattie V. Rutherford Alternative School and Executive Director of the Al Denson Foundation, Inc. named in honor of my father. The foundation provides students and families information on enriching educational and vocational programs focused on academic preparedness, financial literacy, and mental health. We serve under-resourced youth through mentorship, enrichment activities, and college enrollment support—with a special emphasis on recognizing senior scholar-athletes through academic scholarships. For the past 20 years, I have consistently served Duval County Public Schools students as a classroom teacher, helping students discover their strengths, set goals, and prepare for life after graduation.

Age: 58

Family: I am the daughter of public-school graduates and educators whose marriage has lasted more than 60 years. My husband is also an educator, and our daughter is a Duval County Public Schools graduate who is now attending the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University. Public education has been a blessing to my family for generations. It opened doors for my parents, for my husband and I, and now for our daughter.

Education: William Marion Raines Senior High School, 1986

Florida A & M University, Fall 1990

Political experience: “My experience is rooted in service, not politics. For over 20 years, I have worked directly with students, families, teachers, and school staff in Duval County Public Schools. I have learned that the best decisions come from listening, building trust, and staying focused on what is best for students.

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 student achievement, teacher recruit and retention, and safe learning environments. No matter a students’ zip code, families want strong schools and opportunities for their children. I will focus on reviewing and discussing evidence-based programs to address reading and math literacy, supporting our educators and staff, the people who make our schools work, and collaborating with school officials in monitoring our school safety plan. In addition, advocating for stronger pathways to college, careers, military service, skilled trades, and entrepreneurship.

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

I am the only candidate in this race who has consistently served Duval County students as a classroom teacher for the past 20 years. I have taught in a dedicated magnet school and currently serve students in an alternative school. That experience has given me firsthand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges students face across our district. I do not have to guess what is happening in our schools because I am living it. Experience matters, and trust is earned. After 20 years in Duval County classrooms, I believe that I have earned both.

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

I hope people will say that I listened, worked hard, treated people fairly, helped leave our schools in a stronger, positive learning environment than I found them, and initiated a safe haven for our homeless students’ population and their families. I want students to have more opportunities, families to have confidence in their public schools, and for teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and administrators to know they were respected, valued, and supported. If I can help create a school system that opens doors for more children and families, I will consider that meaningful public service.

Campaign website: None

Campaign social media: Facebook

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Rhodesia Butler

Occupation: I am a lifelong educator, educational leader, business owner, and community advocate. I have served Duval County Public Schools for more than 21 years in roles including teacher, specialist, Early College coordinator, dean, assistant principal, principal, and area director for after-school programs.

In addition to my work in education, I have been a business owner for more than 36 years, operating a performing arts school and nonprofit organization that have served children, families, and the Jacksonville community. My career has been centered on creating opportunities for young people, supporting educators, strengthening families, and helping students succeed academically, socially, and personally.

Age: I am 55 years of age

Family: I am the proud mother of three adult daughters and the grandmother of three wonderful grandchildren. My family has always been one of my greatest sources of strength and motivation, and they continue to inspire my commitment to building a stronger educational system for every child and family in our community.

Education: I was educated in Jacksonville from elementary school through high school, graduating from Stanton College Preparatory School. After graduation, I attended Florida State University and Jacksonville University, ultimately earning my master’s degree in Educational Leadership. My education, combined with more than 21 years of experience serving Duval County Public Schools, has prepared me to understand the needs of students, families, teachers, staff, and school leaders from multiple perspectives.

Political experience: I have worked on several political campaigns over the years and served as a campaign manager for a Jacksonville City Council race in 2015. These experiences taught me the importance of community engagement, organization, transparency, effective communication, and building relationships with residents. Although my professional background is primarily in education and business leadership, my campaign experience has helped prepare me to advocate effectively for the families of District 4.

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

The top three issues in this race are school safety and student behavior, teacher and staff retention, and preparing students for college, careers, and the workforce.

1. School Safety and Student Behavior

Students and employees must feel safe in order for meaningful learning to take place. I will advocate for stronger behavior-intervention systems, increased access to mentoring and student-support programs, and appropriate safety personnel and resources in every school. I also believe schools must work closely with parents, community organizations, law enforcement, and mental-health professionals to address behavioral concerns before they escalate. Discipline should be consistent, fair, transparent, and focused on accountability while also providing students with the support they need to improve.

2. Teacher and Staff Retention

Our schools cannot succeed without qualified, supported, and respected educators and employees. I will advocate for competitive salaries, meaningful professional development for all school employees, stronger mentorship for new teachers, and improved working conditions. We must also listen to employees, recognize their contributions, reduce unnecessary burdens, and create a positive school climate where teachers and staff feel valued. Retaining experienced employees provides stability for students and strengthens the entire school system.

3. College Readiness, Career Education, and Workforce Partnerships

Every student should graduate with a clear and realistic pathway to college, technical education, military service, entrepreneurship, or the workforce. I will work to expand early-college opportunities, career and technical education programs, internships, apprenticeships, industry certifications, mentorship programs, and partnerships with local businesses, colleges, universities, and community organizations. Students and families must also receive earlier and clearer information about graduation requirements, scholarships, financial aid, career options, and postsecondary opportunities.

Across all three areas, I will prioritize transparency, accountability, community involvement, and regular school visits. I believe School Board members should remain visible, listen directly to students, families, teachers, staff, and administrators, and make decisions based on the actual needs of our schools.

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

I bring a unique combination of experience as an educator, administrator, business owner, nonprofit leader, and longtime community advocate. I have served Duval County Public Schools for more than 20 years in multiple roles, including teacher, specialist, Early College coordinator, dean, assistant principal, principal, and area director. Because I have worked at nearly every level of the school system, I understand the challenges facing our students, teachers, staff, families, and administrators from both a classroom and leadership perspective.

I do not have to guess what our schools need because I have spent many years working directly with students, parents, educators, and community partners. I know how policies made at the district level affect what happens inside the classroom. I also understand the importance of building partnerships between schools, families, businesses, colleges, nonprofits, and neighborhood organizations.

What separates me is my ability to listen, bring people together, and turn concerns into practical solutions. I will be visible, accessible, and accountable to the people of District 4. I will visit schools, communicate regularly with families and employees, and ensure that the community has a meaningful voice in decisions that affect our children.

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

I would hope to be remembered as a School Board member who placed students first, supported educators, listened to families, and helped restore trust between the community and the school district.

I want my service to result in safer schools, stronger behavior-intervention programs, improved teacher retention, meaningful professional development for all employees, and expanded opportunities for students to become college-, career-, and workforce-ready. I would also like to strengthen partnerships that provide students with mentorship, internships, career training, scholarships, and exposure to opportunities beyond the classroom.

Most importantly, I want to be remembered for helping create a school system where every child feels safe, supported, challenged, and prepared for the future. After serving in office, I hope people can say that I was present, transparent, responsive, and willing to do the work necessary to improve educational outcomes for all students.

Campaign website: www.rho4education.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

James “Coach” Jacobs

Occupation: Dean of Students and Athletic Director and Coach

Age: 44

Family: Strong family values and deep faith in God.

Education: Florida State College

- Associate of Arts degree: May 9, 2014

- Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Safety Management: April 29, 2016

Nova Southeastern University

- Master’s Degree in Management and Administration, Educational Leadership Programs: July 31, 2022

- Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership: Currently Enrolled

Political experience: I previously ran for office for both the Jacksonville City Council At-Large seat and the School Board.

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

1.Teacher pay

2.Teacher retention

3. Academic Excellence.

Teacher pay, teacher retention, and academic excellence are all connected. We cannot expect outstanding student outcomes without supporting the educators who make them possible. I will advocate for competitive teacher salaries and work to ensure available funding is prioritized to recruit and retain high quality teachers. Retention also means creating a culture and as a current dean of students I know full well the importance of teachers feeling respected, supported, and heard, with access to meaningful professional development, strong leadership, and the resources they need to succeed.

Academic excellence begins with high expectations for every student, while recognizing and understanding that each student learns differently. I support using data to drive instructional decisions, investing in proven educational programs, promoting career and technical education alongside college readiness, and maintaining strong partnerships with parents and the community. My goal is to help create schools where teachers want to work, students are challenged to succeed, and families have confidence in the quality of education our district provides to all students.

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

I believe I can help Duval County voters in a way that others can’t because I’ve spent more than 26 years serving our schools ,not from the outside looking in, but working and volunteering with students, teachers, families, and school staff every day. I’ve experienced the successes, the challenges, and the tough decisions that come with educating children.

I’m not running because I have all the answers. I’m running because I know how important it is to listen, bring people together, and make decisions that put students first. I want parents to know they’ll have someone they can call, teachers to know they’ll have someone who understands what they’re facing, and our community to know they’ll have a representative who is visible, approachable, and accountable.

Duval County deserves a school board member who leads with experience, integrity, and common sense. My commitment is simple: to support our educators, strengthen student achievement, and make decisions that reflect the values and priorities of the families we serve. As a Coach I know the importance of teamwork and knowing we can do so much together than not together.

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

When my time on the school board is over, I hope everyone remember that I made decisions with one goal in mind: doing what was always best for students. I want to be remembered as someone who listened, treated people with respect, and brought people together to solve problems and encouraged people to be themselves no matter the circumstances.

I hope teachers feel they had someone who understood and supported them, parents feel they had a voice, and students leave our schools better prepared for college, careers, and life. If I can help strengthen trust between our schools and the community while improving opportunities and outcomes for our students, I’ll consider my service a success.

At the end of the day, I don’t want to be remembered for a single vote or headline or a photo opt. I want to be remembered for making a positive difference in the lives of students, families, and educators throughout Duval County. As a Coach I’ve always lived by this quote

“Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Campaign website: votecoachjamesjacobs.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

You can see his full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

A write-in candidate, Gracie Bell Kearse-McCastler, also qualified for the election. The names of write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot, though there will be a line for a write-in.

READ MORE: Meet the three candidates vying for Duval County School Board District 2 seat

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

Donovan Bradley

Occupation: Policy Analyst.

Age: 26

Family: I am the oldest of my two siblings and come from a family of public servants. My mother has been a teacher in Duval County for more than 30 years, and I am happily married to my wonderful wife, Noelle Bradley.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, University of North Florida.

Political experience: I have never run for political office before, and I have no interest in being a “career politician.” As a proud Jacksonville native and graduate of Duval County Public Schools, I want to give back to the school district that helped shape my future. I also want to ensure today’s students have even more opportunities than I did. One area where we can do better is expanding awareness of skilled trades, apprenticeships, and career and technical education programs. Not every student will choose a four-year college, and that’s okay. By strengthening classroom-to-career pipelines through partnerships with local businesses and industry, we can better prepare students for high-paying, in-demand careers while meeting the workforce needs of our community.

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

I believe the three most pressing challenges are student achievement, teacher retention, and school safety.

To improve student achievement, we must ensure students are not only prepared to pass assessments, but are retaining and applying what they learn. This includes strengthening core instruction in reading, math, and science, expanding access to career and technical education pathways through public-private partnerships, and reducing overreliance on standardized, computer-based testing to better support deeper learning and real-world application.

To improve teacher retention, Duval County must remain competitive in compensation and benefits, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and ensure teachers have the support and respect needed to be successful in the classroom. This includes streamlining lesson planning requirements, reducing duplicative reporting, and increasing instructional autonomy so educators can focus on teaching.

Maintaining a safe learning environment is essential to the success of our students and teachers. We must continue investing in school police officers, strengthen campus security measures, and regularly update emergency response plans and training so our schools are prepared to respond to potential threats and parents can have confidence that their children are safe.

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

I believe I bring a unique combination of experiences that no other candidate in this race can offer. As the son of a longtime Duval County teacher and a graduate of Duval County Public Schools, I understand our classrooms firsthand. Growing up, I spent time volunteering in my mother’s classroom, which gave me an early appreciation for the dedication of our teachers and the challenges they face every day.

I also bring a unique background in policy work as the only candidate with legislative experience. Professionally, I served as a Legislative Aide in the Florida Legislature and as a Policy Analyst for local nonprofits, where I worked on policy research, budgeting issues, and drafting legislation that later became law. Additionally, my experience recruiting students for jobs and internships has given me firsthand insight into workforce readiness and the importance of creating stronger classroom-to-career pathways.

These experiences have prepared me to make informed decisions on educational policy, budgeting, and ensuring every student has the tools, opportunities, and support needed to succeed after graduation — whether that path leads to college or directly into the workforce.

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

I believe leadership is about serving others, solving problems, and leaving things better than you found them. If I have the privilege of serving on the Duval County School Board, I hope to be remembered as someone who always put students first and worked to make a meaningful difference in their lives. I want to help create a school system where every child has the opportunity to succeed, where teachers feel supported and valued, and where families have confidence in the education their children are receiving. Most importantly, I want my children to grow up in Jacksonville with access to a high-quality education and a school system that prepares them to thrive. If, at the end of my service, I can look back and know that I helped improve opportunities for the next generation of students, that would be the greatest accomplishment I could hope for.`

Campaign website: DonovanBradley.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram

You can see his full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Terence Myers

Occupation: Dean of Students, Kernan Middle School

Age: 47

Family: Married, 2 children

Education: Associate Degree Business Administration

Bachelor of Criminal Justice

Masters of Education

Political experience: None

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

Declining Enrollment: Enrollment impacts funding, staffing, and educational opportunities. We must make our schools the first choice for families by strengthening academic programs, supporting teachers, and communicating the value of our schools while listening to the needs of parents and the community.

Student Support: Every student deserves the resources to succeed. I support expanding academic interventions, mental health resources, and other support services while ensuring teachers have the tools they need to help every student reach their potential.

Student Discipline: Safe, orderly classrooms are essential for learning. I support fair, consistent discipline policies that hold students accountable, support positive behavior, and give teachers the authority and resources to maintain productive learning environments.

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

What sets me apart is the breadth of my experience serving students and families. I have worked as a teacher, truancy officer, staff member, and dean, giving me firsthand knowledge of the challenges our schools face from multiple perspectives. As a retired Army Reservist, I also bring a strong commitment to service, leadership, accountability, and teamwork.

These experiences allow me to make informed decisions, work collaboratively to solve problems, and keep the focus where it belongs, on student success. I will be an accessible, transparent, and accountable school board member who listens to the community and works to strengthen our schools for every student.

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

I hope to be remembered as a school board member who put students first, listened to the community, and made thoughtful decisions that strengthened our school system. I want to leave our schools stronger than I found them by helping improve student achievement, increasing enrollment, supporting teachers and staff, promoting safe and disciplined learning environments, and rebuilding trust between the school district and our community. If my service results in better opportunities for students and a stronger foundation for future generations, I will consider that a success.

Campaign website: www.terencemyers.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

You can see his full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Donna Westrich

Occupation: Marine Science Teacher at Fletcher High School, most recently. Previously, I taught at Seaside Community Charter School. Prior to that, I was a middle school science teacher in Logan, Utah. I also taught science at Sandia Preparatory School, a private 6th through 12th grade school in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Age: 53

Family: I have a husband who is a professor at UNF and two children who attend public school in District 2.

Education:

-Graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and an Environmental Science Certificate.

-Graduated from Fort Lewis College Education Fellowship Program in 2000 with an Education Degree.

-Attended Graduate-level education classes through Adam’s State College in Alamosa, Colorado.

-Attended Graduate-level education classes at UNF during the summer of 2019.

Political experience:

I do not have any political experience. However, I have experience volunteering in my community as a teacher-sponsor of Beaches Go Green, as a running coach at Seaside Community School, as a children’s swim instructor at the YMCA, as a CPR instructor and as an instructor trainer at the Red Cross in Durango, Colorado, and as a volunteer paramedic and firefighter at Hermosa Cliff Fire Department in Durango, Colorado.

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

The three most pressing issues facing Duval County Public Schools are closely connected: budget shortfalls, declining enrollment, and the loss of experienced teachers. As schools lose funding and educators, more families choose alternatives to their neighborhood public schools. Declining enrollment then leads to additional funding losses, teacher reassignments, and, in some cases, school closures or consolidations. At the center of these challenges is inadequate and inconsistent funding.

Florida invests approximately $9,000 to $11,500 per public school student, ranking among the lowest states in per-pupil funding. At the same time, the state has expanded school choice programs without ensuring that public schools are adequately funded or that taxpayer dollars are fully accounted for. Recent state audits have identified approximately $270 million in scholarship funds that could not be properly tracked, raising serious concerns about financial oversight. Additionally, the state extended vouchers to many students who had never attended public schools, increasing costs without providing additional funding to offset the impact on public school districts.

As a School Board member, I will advocate for greater fiscal accountability and transparency. Every student should be accurately counted, every taxpayer dollar should be traceable, and every funding decision should prioritize the success of all students while protecting the long-term stability of Duval County Public Schools.

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

With more than 20 years of teaching experience, I understand firsthand how decisions made at the district level affect teachers, students, schools, and our community. As the parent of two children attending Duval County Public Schools, I also understand the choices families face and the importance of maintaining strong, high-quality neighborhood public schools.

My commitment to education has always been rooted in the belief that every child deserves access to safe, equitable, and academically excellent schools. Throughout my career, I have worked to create opportunities for student success, and I am ready to bring that same dedication to the Duval County School Board.

As the District 2 representative, I will advocate for policies that put students first, support and retain outstanding teachers and staff, and work collaboratively with my fellow School Board members to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars through a transparent and fiscally sound budget. My experience, commitment, and passion for public education will guide every decision I make on behalf of the families of District 2 and Duval County.

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

As part of my campaign, I have committed to holding monthly meetings that are open to the public because I want our community to know that I am accessible, engaged, and accountable. I encourage residents to bring not only their concerns, but also their ideas and possible solutions. The best decisions are made when we work together.

When my time in office is over, I hope to be remembered as someone who truly represented the community, listened to every voice with respect, communicated openly and transparently, and made thoughtful, well-informed decisions that always put students’ success, safety, and well-being first.

Campaign website: donnawestrich.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

READ MORE: Five candidates are running for Duval County School Board District 6 seat

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

Lindsey Denmark

Campaign website: lindseydenmark.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Clarence H. James

Occupation: Active Duty School Police Sergeant

Age: 54

Family: Wife, 2 kids in public schools, 3 adult children.

Education: Robert E Lee High School, Bachelor’s Degree from Columbia Southern.

Political experience: None.

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

School Safety, Budget, Literacy Rates

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

There has never been a law enforcement perspective from the school board. I have been in the classroom longer than anyone else running.

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

For fully funding the police department, improving literacy rates, and balancing our budget.

Campaign website: www.electclarencejames.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

You can see his full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Michelle Petty

Occupation: Florida Registered Paralegal

Age: 45

Family: Husband, Eric Petty

Daughter, Haley Petty

Daughter, Mackenzie Petty

Education: Associate in Science - Internet Services Technology Webmaster/Web Development

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - Marketing

Political experience: I have no previous political experience but do pay attention to politics, locally, statewide and nationally.

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

My top priorities are improving academic achievement, increasing transparency and family engagement, and recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. I will focus on data-driven decisions, open communication with families, supporting educators, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are directed where they have the greatest impact, which is our classrooms and our students.

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

I offer a unique combination of firsthand experience, proven advocacy, and district involvement. I’m not just a parent, I have served on my school’s School Advisory Council for 11 years, including 9 years as Chair. I’ve served on the Academic and Community Excellence Committee, participated in the Master Facility Plan Focus Groups, and led the Save Baldwin Initiative to keep our new school in our community. As a Florida Registered Paralegal, I’m also prepared to analyze policies, budgets, and contracts with attention to detail. Unlike a campaign built on political endorsements or large fundraising, mine has been a grassroots effort built by listening to families, knocking on doors, and earning support one conversation at a time.

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

I hope to be remembered as a leader who always put students first. Someone who listened to parents, supported teachers, made thoughtful, transparent decisions, and never lost sight of why I ran in the first place. I want to leave our district stronger, with higher academic achievement, safer schools, more engaged families, and a culture of trust and accountability. If, years from now, parents feel heard, teachers feel supported, and students have greater opportunities because of the decisions I helped make, then I’ll consider my service a success.

Campaign website: petty4schoolboard.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Robert Stafford

Campaign website: vote4robertstaffordd6.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

You can see his full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

Tammyette L. Thomas

Campaign website: www.drtammyettethomas.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

This candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

You can see her full interview with News4JAX reporter Ariel Schiller below.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Superior Court of Delaware, is the latest in a flurry of suits filed against the social media giants that alleges their platforms are addictive and dangerous.

The complaint was filed on behalf of four families from Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota and Tennessee whose children died over a 14-month period starting in July 2024 through September 2025.

The Social Media Victims Law Center is bringing the suit on behalf of the families, and its founding attorney, Matthew Bergman, said it's “particularly salient” that the children in this case died “long after” similar suits had been filed.

“These platforms continue to kill kids, despite the platitudes of their executives,” Bergman said in an interview. “This is a clear and present danger to the health and safety of children, not just in the United States but around the world.”

The four teens who died by suicide each experienced harms including social media addiction, severe sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation after years of using the social platforms, the complaint states. Livi Castro died at age 13, Riv Kelleher at 14, Nathaniel Chambers at age 17 and Dawson Holden at 18.

The complaint alleges the social media companies knew they were causing harm to young users.

A spokesperson for Google, which owns YouTube, said in a statement that “providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work. In collaboration with mental health and parenting experts, we’ve built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls. We send our deepest sympathies to the families and are reviewing the claims in this lawsuit.”

Representatives for Meta, TikTok and Snap did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project, said in a statement that parents, activists and whistleblowers have come forward and met with lawmakers for years and “while Congress has dragged its feet, more children have died."

Federal legislation of social media has moved at a glacial pace. The Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act — which had the support of parents’ groups and children’s advocacy organizations — exactly two years before this lawsuit was filed. The House of Representatives never voted on that version of the legislation, and the House and Senate are currently disagreeing on key provisions they think should be included.

“Livi, Nathaniel, Dawson, and Riv’s stories are proof that Big Tech companies continue to lie about the safety of their products, choosing instead to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into false advertising, deceptive paid partnerships with trusted education programs and political lobbying,” Haworth's statement continued.

Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap are facing numerous state and federal lawsuits over harms to minors. Meta is on trial in Tennessee this week for a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general claiming that the company deliberately designed its platforms, notably Instagram, to make them addictive to young people, and did not warn them of its dangers. And in August, Meta is heading to trial in federal court in Oakland, California to face four of dozens of states that sued the company in 2023. That lawsuit says the company is contributing to the youth mental health crisis by designing addictive features and violated federal law by collecting data on kids under 13 without parental consent.

Not all lawsuits are successful, and many are settled out of court. Last week, a Florida teenager dropped his case against Meta that was set to go to trial in state court in Los Angeles, without receiving any payment from the company. Meta had argued that the teen only used his Instagram and Facebook for just minutes a day, on average, and created most accounts only after hiring a lawyer in his case.

Still, the mounting court cases can get expensive, even for a company like Meta Platforms. Earlier this week Meta said it had $2.4 billion in legal expenses in the second quarter, which contributed to a relatively unusual 14% profit decline.

The Trump administration has faced pushback from some European allies over the use of air bases in support of its war with Iran.

But lawmakers in Bulgaria — a member of NATO and the European Union — voted earlier in July to allow the deployment of up to eight U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft, as well as 250 personnel with personal weapons and ammunition and airfield equipment, at Bezmer Air Base.

Under a 2006 U.S.-Bulgaria defense agreement, the Bezmer facility, about 260 kilometers (160 miles) southeast of the capital, Sofia, is a joint-use facility. Any new use of the base requires parliamentary approval.

The deployment, requested by the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria, is authorized until Oct. 1, 2026.

U.S. President Donald Trump thanked Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev in a Truth Social post for allowing the deployment “despite Iran’s threats.”

On Thursday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova assured her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that the deployment “in no way means a change in Bulgaria’s approach toward Iran." The two countries are important trade partners.

A Bulgarian Foreign Ministry statement quoted Petrova as saying “it was out of the question" that any direct military actions linked to the conflict in the Middle East would be carried out from Bulgarian territory.

The statement did not indicate what Araghchi said. But the Bulgarian state news agency, BTA, said Araghchi protested to Petrova over Bulgaria’s support for U.S. military operations against Iran during a telephone conversation initiated by the Bulgarian side. The report cited a report from Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

Residents of the village of Bezmer and nearby settlements, including the regional capital Yambol, have staged peaceful protests in recent days against the deployment of the U.S. aircraft.

Government officials visited the region to address people’s fears, assuring them that the deployment is solely for logistical missions involving in-flight refueling outside Bulgarian airspace.

The Democrat's office released more than 700 pages of tax filings spanning four years for reporters to review, offering a window into Newsom's finances as he prepares to leave office and considers a 2028 presidential bid. Newsom’s office did not release returns for 2025, because the couple filed for an extension and will complete those returns in October.

The returns show the Newsoms' income has remained relatively consistent since when he took office in 2019, when the couple reported $1.7 million in annual income. The exception was in 2021, when the family sold a house for nearly $6 million in Marin County, making roughly $800,000 from the sale. That year, they made $4.2 million and paid more than $1 million in federal and state taxes. They earned roughly $2 million in 2022.

The release of the couple's tax filings comes as their finances have been under scrutiny after the U.S. Justice Department launched investigations into the Newsoms, the governor announced last month. Newsom has blasted the probes as politically motivated.

It was the first time Newsom released returns since 2022.

Newsom made nearly $200,000 annually from serving as governor, but most of his income comes from winery and restaurant businesses that he put in a blind trust when he took office. The returns don’t name each individual business, making it impossible to know which ones gained and lost money.

The PlumpJack Group, a company he owns that includes a suite of wineries and restaurants, is now run by his sister and cousin.

His wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a film director, lost money most years from Girls Club Entertainment, a production company she founded. The business produced “Miss Representation,” a 2011 documentary about disparaging portrayals of women and girls in media, and two other films.

The Newsoms paid between roughly $14,000 and $44,000 a year for childcare for three of their four children, according to the tax filings.

They gave between $40,000 and $65,000 in gifts to charity each year, mostly through monetary donations. They also donated thousands of dollars worth of clothing, toys and other items to thrift stores and nonprofits, including in 2022, when they gave away Armani business wear they originally bought for $45,000 to a racial justice organization in Oakland.

A key area of the Pacific Ocean used to measure the strength of El Nino this week reached its warmest and most intense level ever recorded for the 15th week since it formed, which is early in its lifetime, scientists at Columbia University reported.

El Nino — a natural warming of the Pacific near the equator that warps weather patterns worldwide — won't peak for several months and should last through spring 2027. The World Meteorological Organization, a U.N. agency, cautioned on Friday that it will likely trigger extreme heat, drought and rainfall well into next year.

“Two months ago, I warned that El Nino was arriving on our doorstep. Now it is inside the house — and turning up the heat,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Friday. “We have already endured a summer of extremes — record-shattering heat domes; apocalyptic wildfires raging in Spain, France and far beyond; thousands of lives lost in the scorching conditions.”

“But according to the latest science, this is only a warm-up act,” Guterres said, saying as the El Nino strengthens it will be “adding fuel to a planet already on fire.”

“We are in uncharted territory,” he said. “The climate crisis is in overdrive.”

Most computer forecast models are showing that this El Nino will likely break the all-time record for intensity when it peaks, sometime late fall or so, but that's not guaranteed, scientists said.

Chaotic extremes in rain, drought and unheard of heat coming

It's still early in the nearly yearlong life of a typical El Nino to see many direct effects yet, but they are coming, scientists said, agreeing with Guterres’ warnings. El Nino's effects will combine with the long-term global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas.

“We’re seeing something that is the warmest July ever recorded for that specific region," used as an El Nino indicator, Columbia University climate scientist Jeffrey Shaman said. "A year from now, it’s going to be very hot in the Northern Hemisphere. And we’re going to possibly have a summer like we’ve never experienced globally."

But before then, the strong El Nino is likely to cause changes in rainfall patterns that will bring chaotic extremes to different parts of the world in fall and winter. There's a strong chance of drought and wildfires in Indonesia, India and other parts of Asia, south and east Australia, chunks of South America and southern regions in Africa, the WMO warned. Other areas, including much of the United States and fire-struck Southern Europe will get above average rain.

“This El Nino, developing against the backdrop of unprecedented ocean heat and rising temperatures, provides governments and communities with a window of opportunity to anticipate risks and act before impacts unfold,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

El Nino amplifies human-caused warming

While El Nino and climate change are separate phenomena, their effects create a harmful combination — and people aren't taking the connection seriously enough, Guterres said.

“We hear much about record heat, drought and wildfires — but not enough about the real change that is driving these events: the accelerating climate crisis powered by fossil fuels," Guterres said.

Guterres said the world gets too absorbed by dramatic wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan to notice the dangers of climate change. On top of that, “there is a deliberate campaign, namely by the fossil fuel industry and some countries in order to pretend that that the problems that we are witnessing indeed do not exist.”

The U.N. must be more active and mobilize public opinion “to tell governments it’s time to recognize this threat as an existential threat to us all,” he told reporters.

Much of the heat from the burning of fossil fuels gets trapped in the oceans, but “during an El Nino the ocean in some sense gets to return some of the heated buildups of global warming back to the atmosphere,” Shaman said. Even though this El Nino will end, the released heat sticks around in the air, along with the higher temperatures, which will jump up again the next El Nino, he added.

Guterres called for more early warning systems and cooling systems to handle extreme heat. He said industry and governments need to make work safer, highlighting the garment industry, which has 90 million workers, most of them women. In 17 of the 23 biggest clothing making hubs, dangerously hot days jumped by more than 10% in the past 20 years, “yet most global brands set no heat standard for the factories that supply them.”

But mostly, Guterres said, “the world must stop fueling the crisis.... More coal, oil and gas will lead to a more combustible future."

___

Borenstein reported from Washington.

___

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

The retreat, about an hour northwest of Washington, has been the backdrop for presidential summits and smaller-scale meetings since Franklin Roosevelt established it during World War II. Friday’s meeting isn’t Trump’s first at Camp David, but he has spent less time at the compound than other presidents, and typically spends weekends at his own properties, including Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and his golf courses in New Jersey and Virginia.

Here's a look at some key dates and prominent visitors in the camp's history, assembled using archival material from The Associated Press, the National Archives, and presidential libraries.

1942 — Roosevelt established the camp as Shangri-La, a reference from James Hilton's novel “Lost Horizon.” Roosevelt had liked to relax on a presidential yacht, but the military and Secret Service started to worry about his safety on the open water during World War II. Roosevelt asked the National Park Service to identify sites within 100 miles of the White House that he could use for rest and picked what is now known as Camp David.

1943 — Roosevelt hosted Winston Churchill, who went on a fishing trip with the president and discussed the Normandy invasion at the retreat.

1953 — Dwight Eisenhower renamed the facility Camp David after his grandson and father.

1959 — Eisenhower hosted Nikita Khrushchev, the first time a Soviet leader had come to the United States.

1971 — Richard Nixon met with economic advisers amid inflation and a looming run on gold, leading eventually to an announcement ending the gold-backed dollar.

1973 — Nixon hosted his Soviet counterpart, Leonid Brezhnev.

1978 — Jimmy Carter hosted Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Menachem Begin, resulting in the Camp David Accords signed in 1979. Unlike at the White House, where journalists come and go, the news media are barred from Camp David, unless they are invited to cover an event, like Friday’s summit.

1984 — Ronald Reagan, the president who spent the most time at Camp David, hosted British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for the first time.

1990 — George H.W. Bush hosted Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

1992 — Camp David's only wedding occurred when Bush’s daughter, Dorothy, married Bobby Koch at Evergreen Chapel at the facility.

2000 — Bill Clinton hosted a summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

2001 — George W. Bush met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair early in the year and held post 9/11 meetings ahead of the Afghanistan invasion later in the year.

2003 — Bush hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin.

2012 — Barack Obama hosted the G8 Summit.

2015 — Obama hosted Persian Gulf nations for a summit.

2019 — Trump canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghanistan leaders after a bombing in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. ———

Associated Press journalist Darlene Superville contributed archival reporting for this timeline.

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 published exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE

Amy Trask

Occupation: I’m currently, and mostly, now a homeschool mom. I take occasional freelance work in civil disagreement and in editing work, but it’s not a primary source of income. My day‑to‑day work is centered on raising my kids, supporting their education, and staying engaged in community‑focused policy conversations.

With that being said, without being paid for it, I am also a bill author. This last Session, I authored twelve pieces of legislation at the state and federal levels. Of those, two were introduced as Senate priority bills, and one was signed into law, the HAVEN Act.

I have two pieces of legislation being hopefully introduced in Washington in August.

Age: 33

Family: I’m a mom of two school-aged kids, and a seventh‑generation Floridian. My family’s roots run deep here- from my grandparents’ restaurant in LaBelle to the communities I’ve worked alongside across the state.

I also come from a long line of public servants. My grandfather served in the Florida Legislature and was Senate Pro Tempore. Before him, my three‑times‑great aunt, May Mann Jennings - known as the “Mother of Forestry”-fought for women’s rights, education, and environmental protection. Her husband served as Florida’s 18th Governor, and her father was a signer of the ratified Florida Constitution.

My husband and I are raising our children in the same Florida my family helped build, the same Florida we grew up in, and that’s a major part of why I’m running: I want them, and every family, to inherit a state that is stable, safe, and full of opportunity.

Education: (No response)

Political experience: I’ve spent years working in civic advocacy, legislative research, and community-driven policy development. I worked with Harvard Safra Center for Ethics for years in civil disagreement, and was even flown out to Washington, where I spoke at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Whilst I have never officially held office, I ran last cycle and won the two rural counties (out of three total counties). I was also raised by folks who have held office, or served in the legislature. My grandfather was in the legislature and my father served as a Paige and a Legislative Aide. My upbringing was shaped by understanding how to communicate across differences, how to build sound policy, and how to translate complex legislation into everyday language. That foundation has guided my work ever since.

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

Cost of Living, Healthcare, Infrastructure

Cost of Living: Families aren’t just struggling with traditional “cost of living”- they’re struggling with the cost of existence. Groceries, rent, insurance, utilities, childcare, transportation: the basics have become unpredictable and unaffordable. My focus is on stabilizing the systems that drive those costs. That includes strengthening insurance markets, expanding access to affordable housing, addressing childcare costs and expanding current resources, addressing supply‑chain pressures, and supporting policies that reduce everyday expenses for working families. The goal is long‑term stability, not temporary relief.

Healthcare: Healthcare in Florida is both a cost issue and an access issue. Too many families fall through gaps in coverage, especially in rural areas. I, myself, had an ACA subsidy that disappeared after the BBB, and now my own coverage went from $121 to $465 every month. I support expanding access to primary care, mental‑health services, OBGYN care, and preventive care; improving reimbursement structures; and reducing barriers that keep people from getting timely treatment. Healthcare should be accessible, affordable, and centered on dignity.

Infrastructure: Infrastructure is more than roads; it’s the backbone of community stability. Florida needs stronger home rule so local governments can respond to local needs without state interference. We also need modernized public‑safety systems, including domestic violence law reform, updated emergency‑response infrastructure, and serious investment in hurricane resilience. Infrastructure is how we protect people, strengthen communities, and prepare for the future.

I’d also like to an add a fourth issue: Education.

Education is the foundation of long‑term economic stability. Families need strong public schools, reliable transportation, mental‑health supports, and fully staffed classrooms. I support policies that strengthen teacher retention, expand paraprofessional support, improve IEP/504 services, and ensure schools are safe, inclusive environments where students can thrive.

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

I bring a lived understanding of how Florida’s systems fail families- not in theory, but in practice. I’ve navigated those systems myself as a former single mom and as a domestic violence survivor, and I’ve helped others do the same. I know what it feels like when insurance collapses, when healthcare is inaccessible, when housing is unstable, and when government seems more interested in headlines than solutions. My strength is translating real‑world experience into policy that is constitutional, durable, and actually workable for the people who need it most. I don’t approach issues as binaries or culture‑war talking points; I approach them as systems that must be fixed so families can thrive. That perspective- grounded in lived experience, policy expertise, and a commitment to practical solutions- is something I uniquely bring to this race.

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

I want to be remembered for making Florida more stable for families- for introducing unique or new ways to help lower the cost of living, strengthen healthcare access, and protect our environment, and for helping to rebuild the systems people rely on. I want to be known as someone who didn’t shy away from hard problems, who listened, who learned, and who fought for solutions that were both effective and constitutional.

Even before holding office, I’ve already done the work of a legislator: I wrote twelve bills, including two federal pieces, two Senate priorities, and authored a bill that became law, the HAVEN Act. I brought lawmakers from both sides of the aisle together on nearly all of those bills, and I built a statewide system for domestic‑violence response that is now undergoing its feasibility study to begin the building blocks of shaping how Florida protects survivors. That’s the kind of work I want to continue- identifying gaps, building systems, and creating durable solutions that actually help people.

I want to be remembered as someone who didn’t sit quietly when there was injustice or inequity. When something is broken, I stand up, I speak up, and I don’t sit down until there’s change. My background allows me to uniquely see where systems fail and how to fix them, and I hope my time in office reflects that: not just in policy, but in the lives of the families who finally feel seen, supported, and safe.

And personally, I want my kids to be able to say that when things were broken, I didn’t look away- I stepped up and did something about it.

Campaign website: amytraskforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Chad Johnson

Campaign website: www.johnsonforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

The Republican incumbent, first elected in 2024, has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

New York joins a growing number of states filing lawsuits against Kalshi and other companies in a dispute with President Donald Trump's administration over who regulates the fast-growing prediction market. Kalshi and other platforms argue they are federally licensed and regulated, and states have no authority to govern them.

“It’s sad to see this type of political theater from the leadership in our own state,” Elisabeth Diana, a spokesperson for New York-based Kalshi, said in a statement. “States can’t just shut down a federally licensed exchange. This would also hurt New Yorkers, who would be driven offshore. We love New York, we love New Yorkers, and New Yorkers love our product.”

Prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket allow trading on the likelihood of a wide range of events such as sports, politics, news and even the weather.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, both Democrats, announced the lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

“New York’s gambling laws protect children from underage betting and help combat gambling addiction,” James said in a statement. “No matter what they call themselves, prediction markets like Kalshi are gambling platforms, plain and simple. By ignoring our laws, Kalshi is running an illegal operation and harming New Yorkers in the process.”

James' office is requesting that Kalshi be ordered to forfeit all illegal gains, pay restitution to consumers who were harmed and pay fines equal to three times the company's gains. In a court filing, state officials provided a rough estimate of the damages and costs sought by the lawsuit — $36 billion.

Kalshi had been in negotiations with New York officials in recent weeks over tax and consumer protection issues.

In April, New York filed a similar lawsuit against prediction market platforms Coinbase and Gemini on illegal gambling operation allegations.

State officials say the prediction markets meet the legal definition of gambling “because the outcomes of the events on which its users are betting are uncertain and outside the control of the bettor or hinge on a game of chance.”

New York claims Kalshi has failed to obtain a license from the state Gaming Commission and skirted its obligation to pay taxes like licensed casinos and mobile sports gambling platforms do. The lawsuit also says prediction markets allow users ages 18 to 20, while New York requires mobile sports betting users to be at least 21.

Last October, the Gaming Commission ordered Kalshi to stop what it called the “illegal operating” of an “unlicensed mobile sports wagering platform” in New York. Kalshi responded days later by filing a federal lawsuit against the commission and its members — legal action that remains pending.

Prediction market platforms say they operate differently than gambling operations, because consumers are trading against other consumers — much like how stock markets work. Prices are based on trading, and the platforms only take a fee from the trading, they say.

The platforms also argue federal law gives the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission exclusive jurisdiction to regulate transactions offered in the prediction market. In February, Trump’s appointee atop the federal commission declared that the agency “will no longer sit idly by” while states aim to regulate or ban prediction markets and “undermine the agency’s exclusive jurisdiction.”

States counter that the vast majority of the business on prediction market platforms is sports betting, which they are empowered to regulate, and that is completely different from the commodities and futures contracts that the commission regulates.

On Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked Minnesota’s first-in-the-nation law banning prediction markets just days before it was to take effect — dealing a setback for states trying to outlaw or regulate the platforms. In April, another federal judge ordered a similar temporary halt to Arizona's efforts to enforce its gambling laws against prediction markets.

A tangle of lawsuits is growing, as states try to use their gambling laws to shut down Kalshi, Polymarket and other prediction market operators. In April alone, the federal government sued Connecticut, Arizona and Illinois, challenging their efforts to regulate the industry.

“Hi,” she said softly as she sat down across from Leo at his desk in the Apostolic Palace.

Wearing a crucifix necklace and hair in her trademark braids, Smith has become an increasingly visible presence at the Vatican thanks to her friendship with the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary in the Vatican’s culture ministry.

She has said that while she is not Catholic, she was drawn in particular to Pope Francis and his “gentle, open, and steadfast sense of humanity.”

She also had a thing for Pope John Paul I: Her 1979 tune “Wave,” is about a make-believe conversation with the pope who had just died after a 33-day papacy. It begins “Hi. Hi” uttered in the same breathy voice Smith used with Leo on Friday.

The pope clearly was familiar with the tune. “That was marvelous,” he said.

Earlier this year, Smith performed during the inauguration of the Holy See’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale contemporary art fair. The occasion, May 8, was the anniversary of Leo’s election.

Spadaro, who joined Smith at Friday’s audience, said the encounter between the two Chicago natives was around 40 minutes long. In a text message, he said it “felt more like a conversation between two people discovering they were old friends, sharing memories woven from words and music, dreams, visions, and hopes — both from yesterday and for today.”

He said at the end, Smith said “Bye. Bye.”

Smith met Francis in 2013 and sang for him in 2014. When he died, on April 21, 2025, she wrote a poem on social media, comparing Francis to a dandelion, “humble yet strong.”

“Nature and poetry and the suffering shall miss their champion,” she wrote.

It was Leo's second encounter with a music legend this week. On Wednesday, Leo attended a concert in his honor by tenor Andrea Bocelli.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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

Heather Anne Smith

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: None found

The Democratic candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Art Stresing

Occupation: Attorney - Division Chief - Public Defender’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit

Age: 43

Family: Wife - Brittney Stresing

Daughter - Phoenix Storm Stresing

Son - Banner Logan Stresing

Education: University at Buffalo ’06

Florida Coastal School of Law ’10

Political experience: First time running. Active voter.

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

My three top issues are more funding for our schools, affordable healthcare, and help for our veterans. I want to introduce legislation that increases funding for our schools that will raise the salaries of public school teachers so that we have better retention and attract more teachers all while limiting the voucher programs to those who truly need them. As for healthcare, I would like to expand Medicaid so that childless adults and struggling families are covered and not bankrupted by medical expenses. As for Veterans, I want more funding for programs and organizations whose sole missions are to help Veterans who are disabled, retired, or simply just trying to transition into civilian life.

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

My best ability is that I can relate to a lot of people from different walks of life because, more often than not, I’ve gone through what they went through or something similar. I feel I have a much wider perspective in life when it comes to other cultures because of my family, dealing with loss, working manual labor jobs, and working with professionals. I grew up Republican and a lot of my friends are Republicans. As an attorney at the Public Defender for over 11yrs, I have to routinely negotiate between two adversaries (State and client) to come to a resolution. So I know I can reach across the aisle to work towards a common goal that will help everyone regardless of party affiliation or race.

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

I’ve dedicated my life to helping others as a defense attorney at the Public Defender and through volunteering. I want to be remembered as someone who continued that service by significantly improving the lives of others in my District and State without any kind of political agenda.

Campaign website: www.voteartstresing.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Diana Patrice Jordan-Baldwin

Campaign website: www.drjordanbaldwinforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

The Republican candidate has not completed the News4JAX candidate questionnaire following email and telephone invitations to do so. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Kim Kendall

Occupation: Current State House Rep and former FAA Air Traffic Controller & owner of 2 dry cleaners

Age: 59

Family: Husband of 32 years, Kelly Kendall and two adult children

Education: Florida State University, Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations

Political experience: 2024-Current: State House Representative HD18

Over 20 years of political/volunteer/community experience at the state and local levels - too many to list all – but to see my complete resume visit: votekimkendall.com/resume

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

INFRASTRUCTURE remains one of our district’s biggest challenges as growth continues. I’ve secured funding for major road improvements, including the International Golf Parkway and I-95 interchange upgrade, to improve safety, reduce congestion, and support economic growth. I will continue prioritizing transportation investments that keep our communities moving safely and efficiently.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANDING THE SKILLED TRADES are critical to our future. I passed legislation creating workforce certification opportunities for students with autism and IEPs, secured funding for First Coast Technical College and aviation training programs, and worked to grow our aerospace sector. My focus is creating pathways to high-paying careers and strengthening our local economy.

MAINTAINING QUALITY OF LIFE. I have fought to protect Guana River WMA from a terrible proposed land swap situation and passed legislation to protect it. Also, worked with a 15-year old constituent who is a volunteer swim instructor who lobbied to raise the ages on the swim voucher program to help more kids while capturing children with autism – this was another bill that became law this year.

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

Anybody can tell voters what they want to hear. What I offer is proof: 20+ years of showing up in this community, doing the unglamorous work, long before I ever ran for office. That track record — combined with my current experience as your State Representative — means voters aren’t taking my word for it. They can see it. I would ask you to check out my 3-minute video on my homepage www.VoteKimKendall.com which contains clips of my activism. Also, check out my Issues Page – it shows the campaign promises I made – and how I kept them. And I will continue to stand up and be our voice for our community.

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

LEGISLATIVELY: my top three priorities of addressing our infrastructure and workforce development needs, expanding skilled trades ,and protecting our quality of life.

PERSONALLY: that I was the voice and heart of our district. That the constituents know they had a true voice of the people representing them and showing up. Working on keeping St. Johns County our “big, small town.” We have the benefits of a big city – but that small town neighbor-helping-neighbor community - and working hard to keep that as we grow.

Campaign website: votekimkendall.com

Campaign social media: (None given)

Hamas also said that laying down its heavy weapons, which would come later in the process, was contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel's current government adamantly rejects.

Israel has not officially commented on the deal, which is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced last October. That agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. Israel was to withdraw, and an International Stabilization Force was to deploy.

But progress stalled, with Israel saying everything hinged on Hamas disarming, and Hamas accusing Israel of violating the agreement by continuing to carry out regular strikes on Gaza.

Expectations of implementation are low

Disarming would represent a sea change for Hamas, whose founding charter calls for armed resistance against Israel, and which sees its arsenal, including rockets, anti-tank missiles and explosives, as lying at the heart of its identity.

Israel, meanwhile, appears unlikely to pull back significant forces or make other concessions ahead of its October elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tough reelection battle, with opponents accusing him of failing to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.

Neil Quilliam, a Middle East expert at London’s Chatham House think tank, said expectations are low that Hamas will actually disarm or that Israel will withdraw from Gaza.

“I think that Netanyahu’s silence speaks volumes,’’ Quilliam said. “This is a massive decision that he has to make.”

“But with the prospect of the elections hanging over his head, with several Cabinet ministers and opposition leaders already counseling not to go ahead with the deal, I think he understands that doing so would likely scupper his chances of reelection,” he added.

The deal would be implemented in stages

In announcing the latest deal on social media, Trump said it would be carried out in “carefully structured phases.”

“As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors,” he wrote.

A copy of the agreement obtained and verified by The Associated Press said that all weapons held by the Hamas-run police will be transferred to the U.S.-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, upon its arrival in the enclave. It’s not clear when that would happen since it is contingent on other steps.

A process to decommission and store heavy weapons, military production sites and tunnels will begin after the arrival of the Palestinian committee and the deployment of international forces. The process will be linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal, according to the agreement.

Israel currently controls around 60% of Gaza, areas that have been mostly destroyed and depopulated. Most of the territory's 2 million Palestinians are in the other part, where hundreds of thousands live in squalid tent camps and destroyed neighborhoods.

In a statement Thursday, an Israeli official said that there will be no Israeli withdrawal before the militant group is disarmed and the strip demilitarized. The statement was made on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol.

A person with knowledge of the situation said that Israel is fully involved, but it's not a signatory to the deal, which is between Hamas and several countries helping to negotiate and guarantee the ceasefire. The person spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the agreement. The deal's guarantors are the U.S., Turkey, Egypt and Qatar.

It could take years for Hamas to disarm

On Thursday, U.S. and Board of Peace officials, describing the deal to reporters on condition of anonymity under guidelines set by the White House, gave an extremely optimistic assessment. The board was established by Trump to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza.

While Gaza's police force is expected to hand over its arms, that doesn't include the vast majority of Hamas militants, and heavy weaponry is not included in that part of the agreement, according to the officials.

Instead, the surrender of heavy weapons and the decommissioning of Hamas tunnels and other infrastructure are to come later in a process that could take between 200 and 350 days, a Board of Peace official said. That timeline did not appear in the agreement obtained by AP.

A Hamas official and a regional official involved in the process said that Hamas and other groups agreed to “collect and store” arms inside Gaza under the supervision of the Palestinian technocratic committee and that weapons won’t be handed to Israel or non-Palestinian parties.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said this would be a gradual process linked to an Israeli withdrawal.

Israel has been deeply skeptical

A U.S. official said Israel, which has been deeply skeptical about Hamas’ willingness to give up its guns or relinquish control of Gaza, had been consulted at every step of the negotiation. The official said Israel was not being asked to do anything more than what it had committed to as part of the October agreement.

A member of the Palestinian technocratic committee told the AP on Friday that it was eager to enter Gaza but was concerned Israel will pose challenges. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The person said they didn’t expect to enter Gaza for at least two months.

The committee welcomed the progress Friday, but said the work to restore public institutions and services and rebuild the territory would be immense.

The war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government and is staffed by medical professionals, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half of all deaths.

___

Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, Cooper from Phoenix, and Lee from Washington. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri in New York, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Danica Kirka in London contributed.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit Major Case Section launched a long-term investigation into Harry Cruz-Gonzalez, 38, and Maria Pena-Rosario, 34, on suspicion the two were trafficking cocaine. On Wednesday, July 22, detectives say they received information the couple was traveling from central Florida to Jacksonville with a kilogram of cocaine to sell.

On Thursday, July 23, narcotics detectives say they stopped Cruz-Gonzalez and Pena-Rosario at a hotel in the Southpoint area. Investigators say a search of their vehicle turned up a kilogram of cocaine hidden in a trap built into the car. Detectives also found more than $2,300 in cash.

Both Cruz-Gonzalez and Pena-Rosario were arrested on charges of Trafficking in Cocaine. Cruz-Gonzalez faces additional charges of Possession of Marijuana and Resisting Without Violence.

Anyone with information about drug activity in their neighborhood is asked to contact JSO’s Narcotics Unit by calling 904-630-0500 or emailing Narc.Tips@jaxsheriff.org.

A statement from the regional Gilgt-Baltistan government identified the three recovered bodies as Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, Omani climber Nathira Ahmed and American climber Mallory Geis. It said the bodies had been transported to a hospital.

The announcement came hours after officials said search teams had located the remains of four climbers despite harsh weather. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. They did not immediately identify the fourth body that had been spotted.

Bad weather continued to hamper the rescue effort Friday, according to a statement from the Gilgit-Baltistan region's Chief Minister Amjad Hussain.

The climbers lost contact with their base camp after an avalanche struck Broad Peak while they were attempting to scale the mountain, said Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. “The team has been out of communication since Thursday,” said Haidri, adding that army helicopters were part of the search-and-rescue operation.

Authorities said the search for the missing climbers continued until Friday evening and would resume Saturday.

According to the Alpine Club, the expedition comprised five Nepali climbers in addition to the Omani and American climbers, as well as Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang, and one other foreign climber.

On Friday, China’s government said it was trying to verify whether any of its nationals were among the 10 climbers missing.

“We will provide assistance to Chinese citizens in need and are also willing to offer help in accordance with the needs of the Pakistani side,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Friday in Beijing.

The expedition leader was the renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former soldier in the British army widely known as Nims Dai. He climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary, “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.” His record was surpassed in 2023.

Moving Mountains, a travel company based in Pakistan, announced late last month that the expedition team was on its way to the small town of Askole and wished them a safe journey climbing Broad Peak. The company said this was Geis’ first try at an 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan, while it was expected to be Sakhi’s final one.

Sakhi is a guide for the company, as well as a geographer and high-altitude photographer, and has climbed some of the world’s major peaks, according to Moving Mountains’ website.

Geis, 39, lives in San Antonio. She announced on social media earlier this year that she was closing her Pilates studio to take “a giant leap of faith into the unknown to see where life goes. I have a sneaking suspicion there will be lots of helmets, harnesses, and crampons involved.”

Broad Peak, at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. It lies in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, home to five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, attracting climbers from around the globe.

Accidents are common during climbing expeditions in northern Pakistan because of avalanches and rapidly changing weather.

___

Khan reported from Peshawar, Pakistan. AP journalist E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

News4JAX sent questionnaires to each candidate asking about their background and 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

Sylvain Dore

Campaign website: None found

Campaign social media: Facebook

The Democratic candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Antione Fields

Campaign website: www.fieldsforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

The Democratic candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Xavier J. Monroe

Occupation: I am a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation, where I focus on how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, affect jobs, workers, and regional economies. My work centers on making sure innovation creates opportunity for working families and communities rather than leaving them behind.

Age: 36

Family: I grew up in East Gainesville and understand the hopes and challenges facing local families because I have lived them. I know what it means to work hard, stretch a paycheck, worry about rising costs, and want better opportunities for the next generation.

Those values were instilled by my family and community. My mother dedicated nearly three decades to serving students and families at M.K. Rawlings Elementary School. My family has deep roots in the Sugar Hill and Porters neighborhoods, and on my father’s side, in Williston and across North Central Florida. My father spent decades working in Ocala’s horse industry and Gainesville’s construction materials industry.

I also grew up surrounded by a faith community at Compassionate Outreach Ministries, where the late Bishop Larry J. Dennison taught lessons that reinforced our family values of service, faith, compassion, and outreach. Being surrounded by ​individuals at home and in the community who had a spirit of selfless service shaped my belief that leadership begins with serving your community.

Education: I attended Alachua County Public Schools, including M.K. Rawlings Elementary School, Howard Bishop Middle School, and Eastside High School. I went on to earn degrees in Civil Engineering and History from the University of Florida; advanced degrees in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Michigan; a Master’s in Sociology; and a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Sociology of Education from Stanford University.

Political experience: I’m not a career politician, and I didn’t spend my career climbing the political ladder. My public service has been rooted in this community and focused on solving practical problems.

As President of the Alachua County NAACP Youth Council, I helped lead youth-focused work on healthcare access, volunteered in local schools, supported stronger relationships between young people and public safety professionals, and partnered with the Supervisor of Elections to run mock elections to help students understand civic participation.

I also served on the Alachua County Library District Board of Trustees, a special taxing district, where we expanded library services, youth programs, and community access while working to avoid unnecessary tax increases.

I later served on the M.K. Rawlings Elementary School Advisory Council, where we worked to improve student outcomes and support the school community.

My community leadership experience also extends to other states. As a graduate student, I served on the United Way for Washtenaw County Board of Directors, where I worked to advance community partnerships and nonprofit service, and to connect families with resources.

Those experiences, along with my service as a Title I teacher and my current work as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation, taught me that good leadership starts with listening, bringing people together, and delivering results. Politics as usual is not working, and North Central Florida deserves a fresh voice focused on affordability, healthcare, education, public safety, and opportunity.

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

The top issue I hear about is affordability. Families are working harder than ever, but housing, insurance, groceries, and other everyday costs keep rising faster than paychecks. I will focus on practical solutions that lower costs, expand economic opportunity, and help families keep more of what they earn.

The second issue is access to healthcare. Too many people struggle to find affordable care close to home. We need to strengthen our healthcare workforce, expand access to primary and mental healthcare, and support community-based solutions that improve outcomes and reduce costs.

The third issue is education and workforce opportunity. Every child deserves a quality education, and every adult should have pathways to good-paying jobs. I will work to strengthen public schools, support educators, and build partnerships that prepare students and workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

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

I bring a combination of real-world experience, policy expertise, and independence that sets me apart from others in this race.

I’m not a Tallahassee insider, and this office is not a stepping stone for me. I am a son of East Gainesville, a product of our public schools, a former Title I teacher, and someone who has spent my career helping communities solve problems.

I will bring a fresh perspective to Tallahassee and remain accountable only to the people I hope to serve.

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

I hope to be remembered as someone who put people ahead of politics and delivered real results for North Central Florida.

I want people to say I helped make life more affordable, expanded access to healthcare and educational opportunity, protected our natural resources, and made sure North Central Florida had a stronger voice in Tallahassee.

Most of all, I want to be remembered as someone who never forgot where he came from, never lost sight of who he was serving, and always put this community first.

Campaign website: xavierforflorida21.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok

Malik J. Moore

Occupation: Community and Public Affairs Manager- Cox Communications

Age: 27

Family: Parents: Stan & Teresa Moore Dog: Bishop

Education: HS- P.K. Yonge DRS

AA- Santa Fe College (Political Science)

BS- Florida State University (Political Science)

MS-Florida State University (Applied American Politics and Policy)

Political experience: Campaign Coordinator for U.S. Representative Yvonne Hinson’s congressional campaign.

Managed campaign operations, coordinated volunteers, organized voter outreach efforts, and helped execute a successful field strategy focused on direct voter engagement. This role gave me firsthand experience connecting with communities, building grassroots support, and understanding the issues that matter most to voters.

Chief of Staff to Florida State Representative Dianne Hart.

Oversaw legislative strategy, constituent services, budget priorities, and policy development while managing the day-to-day operations of a legislative office. Worked with local governments, community organizations, and state agencies to advance legislation and deliver results for constituents.

North Florida Political Director and Statewide Faith Outreach Director for Charlie Crist’s gubernatorial campaign.

Led regional political operations in across 36 counties, coordinated campaign efforts across North Florida, and built relationships with faith leaders and communities throughout the state to expand voter engagement and strengthen grassroots support.

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

I believe the top three issues facing Florida today are affordability, criminal justice reform, and education. When I launched my campaign, one of my first priorities was listening. I sent a survey to voters across the district to better understand the challenges they face every day. Regardless of background or political affiliation, these three issues consistently rose to the top.

Affordability remains the number one concern for many families. Floridians are struggling with rising housing costs, skyrocketing property insurance premiums, and the increasing cost of everyday necessities. I believe we need practical solutions that increase housing opportunities, bring more competition into the insurance market, provide targeted tax relief, and lower the cost of living so working families can build financial security.

Criminal justice reform is another priority. We can protect public safety while creating a more effective justice system. I support expanding rehabilitation programs, strengthening workforce reentry opportunities, and reducing recidivism by giving first-time, non-violent offenders who demonstrate rehabilitation a genuine second chance to become productive members of our communities.

Education is the foundation of Florida’s future. Every child deserves access to a high-quality public education, regardless of where they live. I will fight to fully fund our public schools, support and retain teachers, expand career and technical education, and ensure our classrooms remain focused on preparing students for success rather than becoming battlegrounds for political agendas.

As a former Chief of Staff in the Florida House of Representatives, I worked on legislation addressing many of these issues and gained firsthand experience navigating the legislative process. That experience has prepared me to step into the Legislature on day one with the relationships, knowledge, and practical understanding needed to deliver meaningful results for the people of District 21.

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

What sets me apart is that I combine extensive legislative experience with a lifetime of service to this community. Having served as Chief of Staff in the Florida House of Representatives, I understand how to navigate the legislative process, build bipartisan coalitions, and turn ideas into laws that improve people’s lives. Because of that experience, I won’t have to learn on the job, I can begin delivering for the people of District 21 on day one.

Just as importantly, I have been working in this community since I was a teenager. Those years of service have given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges families, small businesses, students, and seniors face every day. I’ve built relationships across our district by showing up, listening, and working alongside the people I hope to represent. That lived experience allows me to meet people where they are and advocate for solutions that reflect the real needs of our communities.

I also believe a state representative should do more than vote on bills. My office will be a resource for residents, local governments, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations. I want to help bring more state resources back to District 21 by assisting organizations in identifying grant opportunities, navigating the appropriations process, and connecting with state agencies. Whether it’s helping a local nonprofit secure funding, supporting a municipality with infrastructure dollars, or helping residents access state programs and services, my goal is to ensure our community receives its fair share of the resources available in Tallahassee.

The people of District 21 are ready for meaningful change, and they shouldn’t have to wait for someone to learn how Tallahassee works. Many candidates will promise to fight for you. I offer something more: the experience, relationships, and proven ability to win those fights and deliver real results for our community from day one.

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

I hope to be remembered as someone who left District 21 and the state of Florida better than I found them. At the end of my service, I want people to be able to point to real, measurable improvements in their lives because of the work we accomplished together.

I want to be remembered for helping lower the cost of living, expanding opportunities for homeownership, and making it easier for hardworking families to build wealth and achieve the American dream.

I want to be remembered for advancing a criminal justice system that protects our communities while recognizing the value of redemption. A system that holds people accountable but also provides the education, job training, and rehabilitation necessary for individuals to successfully reenter society and become productive citizens. Justice should be about accountability, but it should also be about creating pathways to opportunity and reducing the likelihood that someone returns to the system.

I want to be remembered for ensuring that every child in District 21, regardless of their ZIP code or their family’s income had access to a high-quality public education. That our teachers were respected and paid fairly, our schools were safe and well-maintained, and every student had the resources and opportunities they needed to succeed.

More than anything, I hope people remember that I showed up. That when my community needed someone to listen, to fight, and to deliver results, I was there without hesitation. If, years from now, people can honestly say that their lives are better because I served, then I will consider my time in office a success.

Campaign website: www.mooreforfl.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram

Jacquelyn “Jackie” Randall

Occupation: Associate Professor of Respiratory and former-Mayor of Hawthorne

Age: 42

Family: I am the proud mother of three children. My family has been my greatest motivation for serving our community.

Education: B.S.-Cardiopulmonary Science and MBA- healthcare administration

Political experience: I was elected to the Hawthorne City Commission in 2019 and was selected by my fellow commissioners to serve as Mayor from 2021-2026.

Former board member of Florida league of mayors, Florida Black caucus of local elected officials (member only), Alachua County education foundation and Alachua County NAACP.

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

The biggest issues facing our district are affordability, access to healthcare, and strengthening public education. I will fight to lower insurance and everyday costs for working families, expand healthcare access in our rural communities, and fully support our public schools while creating more workforce training opportunities. My experience as both a healthcare provider and mayor has taught me how to bring people together and deliver practical solutions.

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

I bring firsthand experience serving our community both as a frontline healthcare provider and as a small-town mayor. I’ve cared for families during their most difficult moments, secured millions of dollars for infrastructure improvements, expanded educational opportunities, and worked every day to solve problems rather than score political points. I understand the unique challenges facing rural communities because I’ve lived them, and I’ll be a strong, accessible voice for District 21 in Tallahassee.

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

I hope people remember that I fought for working families, strengthened our public schools, protected access to healthcare, and made sure rural communities finally had a seat at the table. Most of all, I want to be remembered as someone who listened, showed up, and delivered real results for the people I was elected to serve.

Campaign website: jackieforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Crowds of eager patrons lined up outside the restaurant on Thursday, ready to experience Jacksonville’s latest addition to the food scene.

The 3,355-square-foot restaurant is located at 14016 Beach Blvd., east of Hodges Boulevard in the Beach Haven area, which formerly housed Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

Many Cook Out locations are drive-thru-only, but the Jacksonville location also features indoor seating.

Its menu features chargrilled hamburgers; grilled chicken, chicken breast fillets, chicken strips, wraps and nuggets; hot dogs, corn dogs, chili dogs and bacon cheddar dogs; quesadillas; BLTs; wraps; sides such as fries, onion rings and white cheddar cheese bites; and cheesecake.

Along with traditional beverages, Cook Out offers three dozen flavors of shakes such as banana berry, Orange Push-Up, peach cobbler, Snickers and vanilla.

Will you be stopping by?