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Dear Eric: I’ve got a family party in a few weeks that I look forward to every year, but I am dreading this one.

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Until recently my brother was extremely overweight due to eating far too much and taking no exercise. He was also a very heavy drinker. He’s turned that around now, which is great, although he still has a lot of weight to lose.

The trouble is he’s been criticizing what others eat and drink. Just the smallest comments occasionally about the calorie content of what you eat and what drinking does to you. He even occasionally comments on my size, telling me I have big hips, or I look fat in what I’m wearing.

He has a toxic personality and has always been jealous of everything I’ve done. He doesn’t say these things to be helpful; he says them to be hurtful (if he wasn’t criticizing what I eat and drink, it would be something else).

Obviously, a party has a lot of food and drink, things that you don’t have every day, and people indulge because it’s a rare thing. I intend to enjoy myself at this party and forget about it, just for one night.

I am dreading the comments he is going to make. I am self-conscious about my weight.

If I tell him to stop it the family will turn on me. It’s happened before, as he is the golden child for some reason. It will be made to look like I’m picking on him.

How should I deal with the inevitable comments without causing a scene?

– Wants to Party

Dear Party: It sounds like your brother has a long history of working out insecurity. Unfortunately, he chooses to work it out on others, particularly on you. This isn’t healthy and it won’t help him. But that’s a problem that’s on his side of the street.

In order to enjoy yourself, insulate yourself as much as possible. First, through self-coaching. Remind yourself that his words aren’t coming from a place of care or of truth. Every word is his own lack of self-confidence talking. Reframing the comments internally may lessen their impact slightly.

Second, bring backup. Bring a friend, brief them on your concerns and never leave their side. This may not stop your brother from making his comments, but they may feel different when you’ve got someone right next to you who supports and affirms you.

Dear Eric: My sister Olivia died unexpectedly about a year ago. I received the call. I in turn called my brother and other sister.

Of my family, only Olivia and I were close. My brother bullied us mentally and physically during our childhood.

She has an adult son, who decided to let the state take care of things, as they were both transient. There was no service.

I worked through a tremendous amount of grief and sadness, as well as guilt.

Almost a year later, my brother dropped this bomb that my other sister and I could purchase an urn and that he would make arrangements for a Mass and burial for Olivia. It was more of an order than a request. The bully rose again.

I did not want to do this. I had grieved my sister already and did not want to go through it again.

He went ahead with it. I was floored. Olivia had not been practicing in the faith for years.

My sister texted me asking for pictures for the Mass. I am so angry they are guilting me into this.

I decided to provide a picture display, attend the Mass and quietly leave. I will not attend the gravesite event. I couldn’t handle it.

Am I wrong about this decision?

– Grieving Sister

Dear Sister: We each grieve in our own ways. Often, especially in families, there’s an expectation that the expression of grief will be shared. People often want us to grieve in the ways that they’re grieving so that they feel validated or less alone.

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Communal commemoration can be very healing. But if it’s not what you need right now, it doesn’t make sense for you to force yourself to go through it for your brother’s benefit.

Your brother and sister may be feeling guilt over not being more present in Olivia’s life. That’s understandable. And it’s kind of you to help them by providing photos. But your relationship to her in life, and in death, is unique. You’re not doing her a disservice by declining to attend the gravesite event.

You have and will continue to grieve her in your own way. Don’t let yourself be pressured into something that’s going to cause pain. If your brother and sister won’t take no for an answer, that’s on them. It’s not between you and Olivia.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My sister-in-law’s father died three weeks ago after a long illness, and I’ve been invited to a celebration of life at my brother and sister-in-law’s house. It starts at 7 p.m. on a weekday.

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She texted a detailed itinerary that includes a potluck dinner until 9, followed by eulogies and speeches. They’re doing this themselves instead of having a traditional funeral.

Usually, aren’t speeches or services held before a meal, so everyone isn’t forced to stay for hours? I work early the next morning; is there any way I can respectfully leave early?

GENTLE READER: Leaving early will require you to excuse yourself, which means a conversation with either your brother or your sister-in-law. While this could happen at the event, it would be more considerate to clear it beforehand.

Picture this conversation in your mind, using the image of your brother’s face as a guide to whether you can respectfully leave early.

Miss Manners is not suggesting this as a devious way of telling you to stay — she is not that subtle. Rather, she is asking you to use your judgment in a delicate family matter.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work at a nonprofit that prides itself on being all-volunteer, with no boss. Decisions are made at monthly meetings.

Having worked 35 years at a job with bosses, I understand that dynamic better. With this volunteer group, it seems everyone is in charge, and personal feelings are expressed frequently.

When a decision is made outside of a monthly meeting, I will either abide by it or note that we need to bring it up at the next meeting.

Any advice for dealing with emotional co-workers when you don’t want to proceed as they have told you to, and there is no boss to ask? I believe the understanding is that we are all friends. While I consider some of the volunteers friends, others I do not.

Can you clear up my thinking?

GENTLE READER: Your thinking appears to Miss Manners to be clear, except, perhaps, in holding out hope of any decisions coming out of such an organizational arrangement.

Once you have done your best to accommodate or defer decisions-by-fiat of individual co-workers, the only remaining question is how to deal with the emotional outbursts. As providing counseling is presumably not a requirement for volunteering at your nonprofit, Miss Manners recommends a triage approach based on your own astute observation that these are co-workers, not friends.

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• Asking Eric: I’m hiding in the bedroom while he entertains his ex-wife and her mom
• Miss Manners: She was blatantly using the tablecloth as a napkin

The first class of outburst — which we will name “Can I call you an ambulance?” — is for outbursts in which you would be required to intervene if they happened with a stranger at a bus stop.

The second class — “I’m so happy/sorry/interested to hear that. Now, what do you think we should do about this aspect of the project?” — is for everything else, as you attempt to steer things back towards work.

The final class — “Excuse me, I think Sophie needs some help over there with the label making” — is for fleeing when all attempts to get things back on topic have failed.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Q: Hasn’t Bam Adebayo’s injury been very beneficial to Kel’el Ware’s development? Previously Kel’el would be pulled during rough first quarters or wouldn’t play at the end of close games. With Bam out, Kel’el had to stay in the game and grind it out. – Peter, Opa-locka.

A: It would be hard to disagree, based on how Erik Spoelstra has handled the Bam Adebayo-Kel’el Ware situation when both have been available. So it will be particularly interesting to see what follows, now that Kel’el has lifted his recent play. Considering that Bam is averaging 30 minutes a game, it could be back to around 18 for Kel’el. A mitigating factor could be the ongoing struggles of Nikola Jovic, which could perhaps coax Spoelstra to play Ware and Adebayo together at times. But, yes, as you inferred, if Bam was available on Monday night, it likely would have been him, and not Kel’el, getting those minutes down the stretch.

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Q: Norman Powell is averaging 26 points per game as the Heat’s leading man. Davion Mitchell is a great defender who is also in the Top 11 in the NBA in assists. Shouldn’t Tyler Herro return as a sixth man instead of upsetting the chemistry of the Heat’s starting backcourt? – Neal, Lauderhill.

A: You certainly could make a case for such a role with Tyler Herro’s streak scoring – but it also is not happening. Tyler has earned a starting role and soon it will be up to Erik Spoelstra to make that work, just as he will have to make the Adebayo-Ware minutes work.

Q: It’s looking more and more like they made a mistake giving Nikola Jovic that extension. Jaime Jaquez Jr. deserves it more. – Ralph.

A: One does not preclude the other. This preseason was an extension window for Nikola Jovic but only a team-option window for Jaime Jaquez Jr., both based on rookie-scale timing. Jaime certainly is playing himself into something lucrative. And, to be fair, so was Nikola, seemingly, when his window opened. But, yes, so far there has been regression.

I’ve been reading all these news articles regarding the sick, narcissistic Jeffrey Epstein.

All of us have had best friends in our lifetime. Anyone from any walk of life who thinks that two best friends didn’t try to duplicate what each other did is more than gullible — it’s stupid, too.

It’s long past due to impeach President Trump for a third time, remove him from office and save America. We all should be on board with this move, as we all are for America and against abusing young women — at least I would hope so.

Jim Tiffin, Coral Springs

A broken Congress Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., makes a statement to reporters without taking questions following a vote in the Senate to move forward with a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government through Jan. 30, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The government is no longer shut down, but Congress is still shut down.

Let’s look at the facts.

The No. 1 issue facing Congress should be finishing the 2025-2026 federal budget.

The last time Congress passed all 12 regular appropriation bills by the Oct. 1 deadline was for fiscal year 1997.

Instead of starting work on the 2026-2027 budget, Congress is still haggling over the current numbers. We have a dysfunctional Congress whose top priority is whether to release the Epstein files. It’s a task without meaningful purpose.

Congress should investigate why it takes almost two years to build a nuclear sub when we need at least 10, or why we can’t build ships or airplanes to meet our military needs.

Congress should ask why replacing Air Force One, begun under Obama, will not be complete until Trump is out of office, possibly in 2029.

This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is a systemic government problem. We should just vote them all out of office and start over.

Doug Cohen, Boynton Beach

Calling all Democrats

Democrats need to get back in the game.

Tribune photo by Nancy StoneWhite House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, left, and senior advisers David Axelrod, center, and Valerie Jarrett, right, listen as President Barack Obama holds a prime-time press conference in the East Room of the White House, marking his 100th day in office.

Let Pete Buttigieg carry the ball, and back him up with David Axelrod, James Carville and David Plouffe.

Raise lots and lots of money and choose young, high-quality candidates for the 2026 midterm election. Give them a left-centered platform that includes housing affordability, women’s rights, the restoration of the Affordable Care Act and SNAP benefits, protecting the Constitution, due process and above all, the truth.

All the things that Trump and Republicans have denied or voted against.

This “New Democratic Party” should embrace thoughts of independents and patriotic Republicans, and Barack and Michele Obama should take an active role as well.

This new campaign can operate on two fronts — calling out Trump and Republican lies and cruelty, and the message of a bright future carried by Democrats and independents.

Mark Lippman, Boca Raton

Truth as a novelty

It has become mandatory: MAGA Republicans have sworn not to believe that the truth is honest, reliable, correct, factual, accurate, frank or sincere.

Their only opinion of the truth is that it is strictly a novelty and should be used very sparingly, if at all.

Donald Kogan, Boca Raton

Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length. 

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Today is Wednesday, Nov. 19, the 323rd day of 2025. There are 42 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 19, 1959, Ford Motor Co. announced it was halting production of the unpopular Edsel.

Also on this date:

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.

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In 1969, Apollo 12 astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean made the second crewed landing on the moon.

In 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to visit Israel.

In 1985, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev met for the first time as they began their summit in Geneva.

In 1998, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr testified before the House Judiciary Committee during impeachment hearings against President Bill Clinton.(The full House approved two articles of impeachment against Clinton that December; Clinton was later acquitted in a Senate trial).

In 2017, Charles Manson, the cult leader behind the murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles in 1969, died in a California hospital at the age of 83 after nearly a half-century in prison.

In 2022, five people were killed and 25 injured when a shooter opened fire at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Talk show host Dick Cavett is 89.
• Media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner is 87.
• Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 83.
• Poet Sharon Olds is 83.
• Sportscaster and former NFL wide receiver Ahmad Rashad is 76.
• Broadcast journalist Ann Curry is 69.
• Former NASA astronaut Eileen Collins is 69.
• Writer-filmmaker Charlie Kaufman is 67.
• Actor Allison Janney is 66.
• Actor Meg Ryan is 64.
• Actor-filmmaker Jodie Foster is 63.
• Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Gail Devers is 59.
• Entrepreneur Jack Dorsey is 49.
• Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Kerri Strug is 48.
• Actor Reid Scott is 48.
• Film director Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) is 46.
• Actor Adam Driver is 42.
• NHL forward Patrick Kane is 37.

Here are the top stories for Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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

Broward schools reverse course on controversial schedule change

Broward is keeping its name: Lawmaker withdraws bill on ‘Lauderdale County’ referendum

New passport rule sends blunt and sweeping message to transgender Americans

DeSantis signs death warrant for killer convicted in 1987 murders of two people

New Delray cafe turns fried chicken, pizza, ice cream into plant-based delights

Florida House aims again to change law restricting gun-buying age

The costs of cronyism at Florida universities | Scott Maxwell

Outgoing Broward mayor defends county government against state criticism

Palm Beach County last year paid for diversity study. But it’s shelved amid removal of DEI policies.

Miss Manners: She posted online that I stole her socks. Should I post a denial?

Let’s get right to the controversial call: It was correct. The Miami Hurricanes aren’t getting hosed. They’re actually getting helped.

They’re getting all benefit of the doubt from the latest College Football Playoff rankings by moving up two spots this week to No. 13. That means they’re right on the edge of qualifying for the 12-team playoffs, maybe, sort of, depending on how their troublesome ACC situation plays out.

Maybe you want to put them in no matter what. Maybe you believe since Miami beat Notre Dame it should be ranked above Notre Dame despite what’s played out beyond that game.

Maybe, too, I could be more of a homer and blindly bang the Hurricanes’ cause because it would be good fun for everyone around town if they made the 12-team college playoff.

But, sorry, Miami’s two losses against unranked Louisville and Southern Methodist can’t be swept under the turf. One loss was forgivable. Everyone can have an off day. But that second bad day against a middling team?

Miami can’t make that SMU loss go away by arguing, politicking, underlining that opening win against Notre Dame, showing its good television appeal or humming loudly when the facts are laid out before it.

It does help Miami’s cause that the first question posed on the ESPN show announcing Tuesday’s rankings was comparing them and Notre Dame. It means they’re the hot-button team and the committee was reminded of it.

“Miami has lost to two, unranked teams,” Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said. “Notre Dame has lost to two teams in our top 13.”

That’s the right answer. After losing to Miami by three points in the opener, Notre Dame lost by one point to undefeated and third-ranked Texas A&M. End of discussion, especially in a program where coach Mario Cristobal is constantly saying, “We always talk the truth.”

The truth is Miami dug this hole for itself. It should be thankful the committee made it the highest-ranked ACC team despite being tied for fourth place in the conference.

How is Miami ranked ahead of 9-1 Georgia Tech? What’s the logic there? That Miami has the better roster on paper? That it shouldn’t have lost those two games it actually, you know, lost? That no one should even think that, as of today, Miami won’t qualifying for the ACC championship Game — much less have a chance to win it?

Let’s make this as simple as possible: Miami needs help from here. A lot of help, too. It wasn’t the Hurricanes fault they’ve played a cushy schedule with Florida and Florida State having down years and their ACC schedule not having the best teams on it.

It’s their fault for not taking full advantage of that schedule with those two losses. It obviously needs to win the two, remaining games at Virginia Tech on Saturday and at Pittsburgh the following weekend.

It also needs a tangled web of help to get into the ACC Championship game, because the winner is guaranteed a playoff spot. The starting point toward for Miami would be Georgia Tech losing at Pittsburgh and SMU losing one of its final two games against Louisville and Cal.

The real shame is Miami, at its best, looks like it can play with anyone. You saw that team against Notre Dame and for a half against both Florida and Florida State. You then saw it again for a full game last Saturday in the 41-7 win against North Carolina State.

You just haven’t seen it enough this season. Maybe that’s to be expected with so many players coming in through the transfer portal and a new defense that’s started to show how dominant it can be.

Can Miami close the season that way to give themselves a chance to be helped? Probably. Virginia Tech is 3-7. Pitt just lost to Notre Dame by 22 points.

Can Miami get some help by getting in the ACC championship game or having enough teams lose in front of them in the rankings? That’s trickier.

There are some hard questions for the committee starting with the SEC getting five teams in the playoffs as things now stand. But Miami moving up two spots this week to 13th and still on the outside looking in on the playoffs isn’t an issue, though. It’s the right call.

The Miami Hurricanes had one of their best performances of the season in their win over N.C. State on Saturday, and it helped them further inch up the College Football Playoff rankings.

Miami moved up from No. 15 last week to No. 13 on Tuesday, moving UM closer to its first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff after a week of lobbying from the ACC.

Similar to the previous rankings, the Hurricanes are the top-ranked ACC team, which means the projected bracket puts Miami in the playoff. But that projection assumes the Hurricanes will be the ACC champion, and Miami is unlikely to reach the conference championship due to its ACC record.

In the current projected bracket, Miami would be the No. 11 seed and travel to play No. 6 Ole Miss in the first round.

The Hurricanes’ most likely path to the playoffs is as an at-large bid, which could put Miami’s resume against fellow likely non-conference champions. That group could include No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 14 Vanderbilt, No. 12 Utah and others.

“I think when you look, Rece (Davis), at Notre Dame and Miami, we really compare the losses of those two teams,” new selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek said on the ESPN broadcast. “Miami has lost to two unranked teams. Notre Dame has lost to two teams that are ranked in our top 13. So we really haven’t compared those two teams. They haven’t been in similar comparative pools, to date, but Miami is creeping up into that range where they will be compared to Notre Dame if something happens above them.”

Miami and Notre Dame are often being compared with each other in public conversation because they have the same record and the Hurricanes won their season-opening matchup. But Yurachek said the committee is not directly comparing the two teams.

“Well, I think there’s some other factors … where you have Utah, BYU and Alabama in between Notre Dame and Miami,” Yurachek said. “And as we set up the pools to do our selection process, Miami and Notre Dame have not been grouped in the same pools to have that direct head-to-head comparison where you would really use that metric to separate one team from the next.”

Of course, to even be in consideration, Miami will have to win its road game against Virginia Tech this Saturday and a road game against Pittsburgh to close out the regular season. Yurachek said the Hurricanes would have to do that and have teams ahead of them lose.

“Well, first and foremost, Miami needs to continue to win the football games that they have in front of them, and then things will happen,” Yurachek said. “There’s still a lot of football to be played with two more weeks in the regular season and the championship week. And so you look at the teams that are between Notre Dame and Miami right now, you’ve got Alabama that’s got a game against Auburn coming up and in potentially in the SEC championship game. BYU has a couple of games remaining and then potentially a Big 12 championship game. And they’ve got Utah with a couple of games. And so I would say Miami needs to continue to win and then hope for some things ahead of them fall their way.”

Miami is also a spot behind Utah, which lost to No. 11 BYU in a close game and to No. 5 Texas Tech in a blowout. The Utes have a win over No. 25 Arizona State

“So when you talk about two teams that are both 8-2 and you really don’t have a common opponent or a head-to-head matchup, you really look at the losses that Utah has compared to the losses that Miami has,” Yurachek said. “And Utah is … second in the country in their margin of victory in each of their games. They have played really good football moving forward. And so, obviously, there’s a 12 versus 13, they’re one spot apart. But I think the differentiator is the losses that Utah has versus the losses that Miami has.”

If the Hurricanes win their games and other teams ahead of them lose, UM and Notre Dame could be competing for one of the last spots in the bracket. Then the Hurricanes could have multiple data points the committee could use to compare the teams, including the head-to-head win and performances against the teams’ four common opponents.

“I think you look at what happened this week when we compared Alabama and Oklahoma in a similar spot where 8, 9, and 10, we were comparing those teams,” Yurachek said on the broadcast. “Oklahoma obviously got the nod with their two-point win at (Alabama). So if Miami and Notre Dame are in a comparable tier, a comparable range, the head-to-head will be a significant data point that we will use.”

Here is this week’s College Football Playoff ranking:

1. Ohio State

2. Indiana

3. Texas A&M

4. Georgia

5. Texas Tech

6. Ole Miss

7. Oregon

8. Oklahoma

9. Notre Dame

10. Alabama

11. BYU

12. Utah

13. Miami

14. Vanderbilt

15. USC

16. Georgia Tech

17. Texas

18. Michigan

19. Virginia

20. Tennessee

21. Illinois

22. Missouri

23. Houston

24. Tulane

25. Arizona State

A controversial plan to make major changes to Broward middle and high school student schedules was quashed by the School Board on Tuesday.

The proposed $35 million cost-cutting measure ended the same way it began a few weeks ago  —behind closed doors.

The proposal would have ended traditional block scheduling as well as personalization periods, or study halls, in secondary schools. It also would have limited the ability of teachers to make extra money by teaching classes beyond their normal load.

The idea was rolled out a few weeks ago during a closed session and first shared with union stewards in early November. It prompted fierce opposition from teachers, students and parents. School Board members were flooded with emails, and thousands signed petitions opposing the changes.

“After careful consideration, the School Board and I have decided to maintain the current high school … block schedule with personalization/study hall period, and with middle schools maintaining their current schedules,” Superintendent Howard Hepburn announced at the end of a nearly three-hour closed-door session Tuesday.

Sarah Leonardi, a former teacher who was elected Tuesday as the new School Board chairwoman, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel she personally had never been comfortable with the proposal, since it resulted in teachers making less money.

“I believe the board reversed course after hearing overwhelmingly from parents, students and teachers that the negative impacts of this outweighed the cost savings,” Leonardi said. “We’re going to have to find cost savings elsewhere. This was just not the place to do it.”

The School Board also has been discussing closing schools, selling property and laying off employees to deal with budget shortfalls attributed to declining enrollment.

During the meeting, Hepburn instructed schools to discontinue any work they were doing to change their schedules.

Earlier this month, the school district had directed affected schools to discuss the proposed changes at “emergency” School Advisory Council meetings. The changes were also to be voted on by teachers. A Sun Sentinel reporter and photographer arrived for a committee meeting scheduled Tuesday afternoon at West Broward High in Pembroke Pines but were told 10 minutes before the scheduled start time that it had been postponed until after Thanksgiving.

About that same time, Hepburn announced the decision at the board meeting to drop the proposal.

Several students who are members of a leadership club called DECA at South Plantation High attended Tuesday’s meeting earlier in the day and asked board members to reconsider dropping study hall.

“Study hall isn’t a break for us,” Rebeca Esquenazi, a junior who is president of South Plantation’s DECA club, said Tuesday. “It’s where we finish assignments, study for tests, continue working on DECA projects and manage the heavy workload that comes with being high-achieving students. Without study hall, many of us would struggle to balance our commitments.”

Anna Fusco, president of Broward Teachers Union, also attended Tuesday’s meeting and criticized not only the proposed changes but the School Board’s decision to discuss the matter behind closed doors.

“You should really consider exactly what goes in closed-door meetings and what really should be out in the public, considering your hostile takeover of our high school and middle school block scheduling and personalization courses,” she said. “You guys must have had it in a closed-door session, because I went through all of the videos of workshops and board meetings, and I saw nothing mentioned.”

School district officials said the discussions were behind closed doors because they involved proposed changes to the collective bargaining contract with the Broward Teachers Union. State law allows strategies for collective bargaining to be held in closed session.

“Matters directly tied to collective bargaining negotiations are discussed in a closed-door session to ensure the integrity of the process,” district spokesman John Sullivan told the Sun Sentinel.

The proposed changes could have had a major impact on some teachers’ pay.

The changes would have meant less planning time for secondary teachers or a sizeable pay cut. Teachers now get two class periods for planning. If they teach during one of their planning periods, they can earn $6,000, or $12,000 if they teach during two. Under the proposed change, teachers would have been required to teach six out of seven classes per day and would only be eligible for one $6,000 stipend if they taught all seven classes with no planning period.

Some School Board members had said that middle and high school teachers had opportunities to earn extra money that is not available to elementary school teachers, who generally stay with the same students for most of the school day. They said they hoped to use the $35 million in savings to provide pay increases for teachers of all levels.

Fusco sent out a note to members Tuesday afternoon urging them not to participate in any votes.

“I am at the School Board meeting right now as your BTU President, working to shut down this scheduling issue with the district,” she wrote to members.

She told members not to complete “any survey, form, vote, or input request about changing schedules, and do not succumb to pressure from your administration to do so. Just continue with your current schedule.”

After the announcement was made, Fusco said in a Facebook Live video, “The School Board members heard you, and this was a huge win.”

By COLLEEN BARRY

MILAN (AP) — Venice has been charmed by a recent visitor: An acrobatic, wild dolphin. The feeling appears to be mutual — he so far refuses to leave — but proximity to humans has put him in danger.

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The dolphin nicknamed Mimmo has been delighting tourists and Venetians for months with his acrobatic flips. Experts are now eager to move him into open water, especially after verifying wounds indicating that the dolphin had been likely hit by a boat propeller.

Multiple agencies used low-intensity acoustic devices to nudge Mimmo away from the heavily trafficked St. Mark’s Basin on Saturday — and it worked briefly. But the dolphin came back within an hour, as experts feared he would.

“It’s very worrying because it’s a hot spot with lots of boat traffic,’’ said Guido Pietroluongo, a veterinarian at the University of Padua’s emergency response team for stranded dolphins, whales and porpoises, known by the acronym CERT.

St. Mark’s Basin, the shallow expanse of water in front of St. Mark’s Square connecting to both the Giudecca and Grand Canals, is heavily trafficked by ferries, vaporetti buses, water taxis, and private boats.

During the failed operation, experts confirmed Mimmo had suffered superficial lesions, likely from a boat propeller, Pietroluongo said. It was the first time they had noted injuries to the dolphin, and his wounds are expected to fully heal. But experts are worried about his continued safety in such proximity to human activity.

They don’t plan any immediate action, and are hoping that colder seasonal temperatures will lure him, and his fish prey, out of the lagoon toward warmer waters, Pietroluongo said.

Mimmo’s arrival in the Venetian lagoon was registered on July 23, and experts say the coastal creature likely followed a school of fish into the brackish waters separated from the open sea by barrier islands. He was nicknamed for the sailing instructor who first spotted him off the Venetian lagoon fishing town of Chioggia.

Mimmo follows the pattern of a so-called social loner, typically a young male dolphin that breaks away from the pod for food or for social reasons and then comes into contact with the human world, said Sandro Mazzariol, a CERT veterinarian.

“Around 100 cases have been documented around the world in which these animals are absolutely at ease and remain healthy despite not interacting with their peers,’’ Mazzariol said in a Facebook video post.

Dolphins sightings in Venice are rare but not unheard of, Mazzariol said.

The most recent incident involved a pair of striped dolphins spotted in February 2021 that were quickly guided back to the open sea with acoustic devices. They never returned.

Mimmo has been closely monitored during his lagoon sojourn, and has been reported in good health and nutrition as he feasts on a diet befitting any Venetian tourist: mullet, sea bass and sea bream. His behavior also has been deemed normal, including his playful aerial flips.

The University of Padua team has been going out weekly to check on the animal, and they get regular updates from citizens who share sightings, including photos and videos.

Authorities are warning citizens and boaters not to feed or interact with the dolphin, which is a criminal offense. Dolphins are protected under Italian, EU and international law. But the fact that Mimmo’s fame is spreading is part of the problem.

“The dolphin has become an attraction. Boats stopping to watch him can stress the animal,’’ Pietroluongo said.

Gavish Pandjee: Squatter found during home inspection given suspended fine in court  Kalgoorlie Miner

Gidor v. Magnus: Pennsylvania Supreme Court clarifies statute of repose for home inspections  JD Supra

JACKSONVILLE — Alex Condon scored 19 points, Thomas Haugh added 17 and No. 10 Florida held on to beat rival Miami 82-68 on Sunday night.

Condon and fellow big man Rueben Chinyelu fouled out with more than five minutes to play, but the Gators (3-1) had enough cushion to close it out with the two starters on the bench. It didn’t help that backup center Micah Handlogten took a shot to the head in the first half and did not return.

Chinyelu finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the defending national champion Gators (3-1), who swept in-state foes Florida State and Miami for the first time in two decades.

Condon did his part before fouling out. He made 8 of 12 shots. And after turning the ball over 13 times in Florida’s first three games, the 6-foot-11 Australian was determined to play cleaner and finished with just two giveaways.

Equally important for the Gators: they hit 9 of 29 from behind the arc. Urban Klavžar made four of those. Florida entered the weekend ranked 354th in the country (out of 355 teams) in 3-point shooting, hitting a paltry 21% from long range. Nine was their season high.

Malik Reneau led Miami with 22 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out. Tru Washington added 16 points. The Hurricanes missed 12 free throws.

Florida opened up a 17-point lead in the second half while pounding the ball inside to Condon, Chinyelu and Haugh. The Hurricanes refused to go away, though, and kept pace with Florida down low. The Gators finished with a 47-41 rebounding advantage and tied Miami with 36 points in the paint.

Up next

Miami hosts Elon on Thursday.

Florida hosts Merrimack on Friday.

Quality Home Inspections Debuts New Site in Middletown, DE  FinancialContent

Quality Home Inspections Debuts New Site in Middletown, DE  FinancialContent

General Daily Insight for November 17, 2025

Small moves can unlock surprisingly big doors. As the gleaming Sun trines jovial Jupiter at 12:08 AM EST, we’re empowered with generous optimism regarding all forms of collaboration. The Sun also trines careful Saturn, steadying our hope into realistic potential. We’re ready to shape a path that leaves room for joy. By afternoon, clever Mercury sextiles transformative Pluto. They help us name truths kindly, turning potentially tough talks into agreements that everyone’s willing to support. Keep events in perspective to navigate them with ease.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

A calm tone should make hard talks easier. Trust deepens as the vibrant Sun (currently into your 8th House of Sharing) trines lucky Jupiter over in your 4th House of Inner Needs. You’re strong enough to talk about active issues and shared obligations, whether a home chore isn’t getting done or a mutual budget needs more from you both. Have patience with anyone else involved and stay curious about each other’s needs. Give them the candid information you want in return to nourish trust.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Partnerships breathe easier without harsh retorts. Your 7th House of Connections lights up as the radiant Sun embraces auspicious Jupiter, inviting a mutual negotiation that actually satisfies everyone involved. Steady loyalty helps, as Jupiter’s presence in your 3rd House of Communication supports listening. When possible, take the time to refine your words before speaking. You may practice a script before a necessary call or write down what you want to say to a friend. Aim for clarity, because kindness keeps everything fair.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

A curious question can open a helpful door. Cerebral Mercury sextiles piercing Pluto, boosting your capacity to research options and discover the facts before choosing a plan or provider. You know how to step back and look at the wider context, so a debate about recent ideas can be shaped into a calmer discussion. That way, when the time comes to take action, such as booking travel plans, everyone involved (including you, of course) should have clear information regarding what they’re paying for.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Play leads your heart to simple joy. Creative sparks meet easy luck as the bouncy Sun trines joyous Jupiter, empowering your exuberant 5th house and confident 1st house. That’s right — Jupiter’s in your caring sign! Go ahead and invite a shy friend out or share a beloved hobby with your circle without second‑guessing yourself. If plans shift, you may pivot to a cozy movie night where you relax together, free of outside pressures. When your hearth is warm, loved ones will flock to it.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Home life has a unique rhythm. Your 4th House of Security is steadied by the Sun’s trine with disciplined Saturn, which helps you build routines that work for you. Rest is just as vital as productivity — so if you’ve spent all day oiling squeaky hinges, take the evening off! If others refuse to do their part, you can explain how important it is that everyone contribute without losing your temper. Having a shared calendar could also reduce further mix-ups. Protect your nest!

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Order returns in a, well, organized manner! Chatty Mercury sextiles powerful Pluto, with Pluto in your 4th House of Foundations today, energizing you to sort paperwork and explain expectations without sounding picky. Your 6th House of Daily Routine emphasizes that characteristic Virgo eye for detail even further. You can craft a simple cleaning circuit that keeps weekdays smoother for everyone. If guests drop by, you can kindly point out your house rules without awkwardness. Minor practices can save tons of energy over time.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Value grows when you handle something gently. Your 2nd House of Worth brightens as the dynamic Sun trines jolly Jupiter, encouraging a kind check‑in with your budget that supports your day without draining your bank account. Your 10th House of Status offers perspective, so you can analyze whether or not you REALLY need that online subscription. Perhaps you could negotiate a shared account or split up a monthly gift box with a friend. Respect your worth, because fair choices strengthen peace.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Your presence changes the mood in rooms — don’t worry, for the better. The Sun and Jupiter are highlighting your identity, so you may introduce an idea and set a pace everyone can follow. Your 9th House of Learning adds breadth, allowing you to back up your suggestions with grounded reasoning. If someone resists, you’ve got the strength to accept their valid critiques while resisting unnecessary alterations. Be ready to discuss potential changes to any plan. When you lead gently, others should support your authority.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Your words carry warmth and bravery. Honesty will land best as intellectual Mercury sextiles unearthing Pluto, sharpening your voice and timing so you can introduce yourself and ask follow‑up questions without sounding pushy. Your 3rd House of Communication supports introductions, letting you stay clear and friendly without adding too much fluff to your responses. If nerves are still running rampant, consider carrying something like a worry stone that you can hold onto for support. And remember, clarity is the best way to move ideas forward.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Teamwork clicks with clear, up-to-date roles. The willful Sun reaches out from your chaotic 3rd house to support responsible Saturn in your connected 11th house. Their alignment supports your efforts to define a group project, plan a party, or schedule a check‑in that keeps the momentum rolling. The rewards of discipline take time (and cooperation) to earn. If you’ve recently invited your friends to anything, be sure to reconfirm the schedule beforehand. Being transparent with one another will help everyone have a good time.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

A visible aim steadies your pace. Today’s astrology centers on your 10th House of Status and 6th House of Productivity, with the Sun and Jupiter supporting your journey to success. Whether you’re in the workplace or the public eye, you may need to discuss essential issues with an authority figure. For instance, you could suggest a modernized workflow or a more doable timeline for a public works project. If praise arrives, share credit wherever it’s due. Lead with solutions, and let success invite further collaboration.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Clarity helps your current efforts land with grace. Your work situation may be somewhat quieter than usual, with Mercury in your confidential 12th house. That said, as Mercury uplifts intense Pluto in your 10th House of Reputation, you’re potentially just biding your time to make the biggest impact possible. Once you speak up, you should have everyone’s ear. Still, keep an eye out for unexpected deadlines to spare yourself from urgent weekend scrambling. Keep messages crisp in order to gain useful support.

For the second consecutive week, I couldn’t be happier for the Miami Dolphins’ players.

Those guys earned Sunday’s gritty, hard-fought 16-13 overtime victory against the Washington Commanders in Madrid, one week after earning an unlikely 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills, through sweat, commitment and belief.

I’ve always pointed out that this Dolphins team has an unbreakable fighting spirit. I admire that quality. These guys won’t quit, they won’t tank, and they won’t give up. All of that, and more, was on display Sunday.

I’m not certain that this team can win, say, four or five of its last six games this season and finish 8-9, or, even better, 9-8. It’s doubtful.

But they’ll fight hard in every game. I’m sure of that.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a true leader whether discussing his faith or displaying his tenacity with a game-best 20 tackles against Washington, sets an aggressive tone. So does 5-foot-10, 191-pound running back De’Von Achane, who had 165 yards from scrimmage Sunday. And so does center Aaron Brewer, who told us after being signed in March 2024 that he’s “head-hunting” on the football field.

And fullback Alec Ingold, who played with a broken thumb in 2023, defensive tackle Zach Sieler, a self-made man who deserved his contract extension despite having a disappointing season so far, and a host of other veterans. Those lessons get passed down to youngsters such as rookie safety Dante Trader Jr.

Lively newcomers such as cornerback Jack Jones, who humorously has a hard time expressing himself without a four-letter ‘s’ word or ‘f’ word, add freshness to the locker room. So does equally personable cornerback Rasul Douglas, interesting defensive tackle Benito Jones and charitable tight end Julian Hill. 

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Congratulations to every player on that 53-man roster and the 16-player practice squad for digging out that win over the Commanders. It’s a fun group, and a good locker room.

Yes, I’m extolling this never-say-die virtue of a Dolphins team that has a 4-7 season record, a team that might be fortunate to be doing that well in the standings.

They got that win against Washington (3-8) by overcoming a bizarre decision by coach Mike McDaniel to forgo a game-winning field goal from the Commanders’ 1-yard line with 1:44 remaining to go for a game-winning touchdown. The decision failed. Running back Ollie Gordon II was stuffed for a two-yard loss on his fourth-down run.

But fortunately for McDaniel his players bailed him out by fighting hard to get the win. Jones had what turned out to be the game-winning interception in overtime before kicker Riley Patterson hit a 29-yard field goal to secure the victory.

It made me happy for the players.

Football-wise you know I’m not a big fan of this organization and how they handle their business. I think they have rewarded mediocrity and set the bar for achievement way too low.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down overtime win over Commanders in Madrid | VIDEO

However, I’ve always applauded the players that McDaniel and former general manager Chris Grier gathered in the past three-plus seasons. 

The players are professionals. They’re prideful. They’re dedicated.

This team is only mediocre talent-wise. The front seven has been a disappointment, the run game has been inconsistent, the offensive line has struggled, and the pass game is only a low-level threat.

Still, this team won’t ever quit.

Grier and McDaniel got this part of the team right.

Personally, I root for these players despite the way this organization has done things. 

Professionally, I don’t root for either the players or the organization. I remain neutral and objective. I’ve told you many times that I’m not a Dolphins fan. I’m not a fan of any NFL team. I consider that to be a conflict of interest.

But on a human level, you’ve got to like this plucky team.

And now things are coming around. This team might be ready to turn a corner.

They’ve won three of their past four games, they’ve won back-to-back games for the first time this season, and after they catch their breath on this coming bye week, they’ll have a pair of winnable games against two bad teams — New Orleans and the New York Jets. They could be 6-7 heading into their final four games.

The Dolphins have a good collection of players. Realistically, I don’t expect them to make the playoffs, or even have a winning record. But I know they won’t quit while trying to attain either accomplishment.

What an odd win. What a strange ending.

What a …

What the …

What was Mike McDaniel thinking?

That’s the question that keeps rattling around Sunday after the Dolphins’ 16-13 overtime win against Washington in Madrid. It’s not the normal question after a win, especially a second-consecutive win in a 4-7 season that could be used to buoy hope of salvaging pride, jobs, momentum — something from this season.

There were some Sunday heroics to talk about, too. Cornerback Jack Jones had the overtime interception to set up the win. Running back De’Von Achane, once again, carried this offense. The defense’s goal-line stand in the fourth quarter kept it a tied game.

But everyone kept asking the same, nagging question: What was McDaniel thinking with 1:44 left when he chose not to take the lead with a chip-shot field goal? He went for it on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line.

Ollie Gordon II was stuffed for minus-2 yards.

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“I definitely would not have made the call if I thought it was going to fail,” McDaniel said.

But why go that route? Was he that confident in a Dolphins offense that had scored 13 points Sunday and was 1 for 3 in the red zone? Was he that unconfident of a Dolphins defense that, too, just allowed 13 points?

Does the analytical, often-commendable mindset that made it preferable to go for it on fourth down override all sense of critical, game-situation thinking?

It wasn’t like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen or some quarterback who made your knees shake was on the other side, demanding you score a touchdown. It was Marcus Mariota. The Commanders’ backup QB. The kind of guy you ask to overcome any lead at the end.

There was another factor of the NFL’s new kickoff rules, McDaniel said. Washington’s return team is, “very, very adept at getting the ball between the 30 and 40, which would leave about 25 yards for a tying field goal opposed to going 60 yards [to hit a game-winning field goal] when they’re backed up,” he said.

“Those are the type of situations you try to do the best thing with the recourse of failure.”

He added, “That was an example of a defense stepping up.”

So, credit Washington’s defense for making the play. And it did. And the one person who isn’t second-guessing McDaniel is Washington coach Dan Quinn. He made the same decision as McDaniel with just under seven minutes left.

Same tie game. Same fourth-and-goal at the 1. The time was a difference, sure, because more time means more possibilities and possessions. Quinn didn’t just want the lead, though. He wanted a touchdown and the Dolphins defense stopped him thanks to safety Ashtyn Davis’ good coverage and tight end Zach Ertz slipping on his route.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down overtime win over Commanders in Madrid | VIDEO

“We put ourselves in a position where we could finally win,” Quinn said of his team’s five (now six) straight losses. “I don’t love the result, but I don’t second-guess the call.”

So, a sure field goal means nothing in a game where each team has 13 points? Where you could get the lead in the final minutes? The field goal has been diminished more in today’s game than the running back.

You can say none of this matters, because the Dolphins ultimately won the game. But does this win, while nice, really matter in this season? Does it change anyone’s thoughts of these Dolphins heading into late November?

It’s dangerous to read too much into any Sunday, up or down, good or bad. The Dolphins whipped a good Buffalo team the previous Sunday. They squeaked by a 3-8 Washington thanks to some a bizarre closing script.

Achane was the one player who separated the day. He accounted for 165 yards, or more than half the Dolphins’ 311. McDaniel rode him hard in giving him the ball eight of the final nine plays (and on that ninth, the one Gordon ran for the loss, Achane had to come out after being momentarily hurt).

The defense wasn’t as dominant in shutting out Buffalo for three quarters. But it came up with plays when it mattered. Washington was 0 for 3 in the red zone. Jones made the interception that swung the day.

“We’re not searching for perfection, we are searching for conviction,” McDaniel said.

That sounds straight out of a personal development book. Maybe this team should read over the bye week. No doubt there will be talk about the “process,” in such a book. That was the nagging part of this Sunday in Spain.

The Dolphins won. They have reason to feel better about themselves. But the process seemed all wrong when you left wondering about McDaniel’s thinking in not kicking an easy field goal.

OXFORD, Miss. — Wearing an Ole Miss blue skirt and crimson top, Sarah Kathryn Sanders closed her eyes and blew out the candles on her 40th birthday cake.

When Lane Kiffin is your head coach, you start working every angle to keep him from leaving the Rebels. Hours prior to Saturday’s 34-24 come-from-behind win against Florida, Sanders wanted to avoid the ultimate loss to the Gators, who arrived searching for a new coach — with Kiffin atop their wish list.

“I blew out my candles and wished he would stay,” she said before catching herself. “If I tell you, does it not come true? Maybe, I actually wished he was going to go.”

Sanders laughed, holding an adult beverage in one hand and a cocktail of nerves and hope in her heart. At the entrance to her tailgating tent sat a life-sized cutout of Kiffin and his faithful companion Juice, an English Labrador.

“He’s not going to leave,” Sanders concluded. “What he’s built here, his family is here. … He can stay two more years and go after we win a national championship. Then he can go to Florida and Knox [his son and local high school star quarterback] can go, too.”

Take a pregame stroll around The Grove — the iconic tailgating playground at Ole Miss — and there are signs, literally and figuratively, of what is at stake.

At their tailgating spot at 'The Grove,' Ole Miss fans hoping to keep Florida for luring away Rebels coach Lane Kiffin told the Gators: 'Get Your Own Coach!'

A hand-painted banner reading “Get Your Own Coach!” urged Florida to find another option to replace Billy Napier.

Florida fans, including governor Ron DeSantis, made the trip determined to bring home Kiffin more than a win. A UF faithful wore T-shirts reading, “Just Here To See Our New Coach.”

But the Rebels and their supporters aim to keep Kiffin in Oxford, where he has made the No. 7 Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC) relevant and a winner in the nation’s top football conference. Ole Miss rode a 14-point fourth quarter and second-half shutout of the Gators (3-7, 2-5) to upend a program with far more tradition and brand recognition, among UF’s key selling points.

With the school’s first trip to the CFP one win away, Kiffin deflected questions about his coaching future.

“’I love what we’re doing here,” he said. “Today was awesome. To even talk about it right now would be so disrespectful to our players and what they did today.”

The affection from the fan base is mutual yet at times fickle.

After the Rebels’ 21st win in 22 home games since the start of 2023, the student section at sold-out Vaught-Hemingway Stadium chanted, “We Want Lane. We Want Lane.” 

In the past,  Kiffin has questioned the student-body’s tendency to leave early, show up late or not at all. Ole Miss now doesn’t want to give him any reason to second-guess sticking around.

Florida provided the perfect foil to stir passions.

“Like I’ve always said, I wish our fans would be the way they are at LSU again because they hate LSU,” Kiffin said. “So I guess we got them to hate Florida this week, so they came with a little different — not Mississippi nice like they do sometimes. That was really cool.”

With Mississippi nice has come patience among die-hard fans.

“We have high expectations, but we actually know how to lose, too,” Rebels fan Todd Morris said. “He could stay here and change the name of that stadium.”

Kiffin has delivered an unprecedented run at a place accustomed to pockets of success. The Florida win gave Ole Miss three consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in program history

Morris has ridden the peaks and valleys at an SEC outpost routinely viewed as second tier in the nation’s top football conference.

The 63-year-old was born two years after the school’s sole national title, in 1960, and a year before the school’s final SEC title, in 1963, under iconic coach Johnny Vaught. Morris was 6 when he first saw Archie Manning quarterback Ole Miss.

If Kiffin stayed put and on a similar track, Morris believes he could become a Manning-like legend.

Kiffin has signed three straight top-25 recruiting classes but made an art of mining the transfer portal, landing a top-three class each of the past four seasons. 

“With the system now, you can win big anywhere,” Morris said.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis (left) takes a photo with UF fan and alum Melissa Zawada during the Gators' visit to Ole Miss, 34-24 winners Saturday in Oxford. (Courtesy Melissa Zawada).

Kiffin himself has evolved.

Once a prideful, at times reckless, wanderer, the 50-year-old has become a peaceful warrior enjoying his longest stint at one school.

Nearly five years sober, dedicated to yoga and health, and re-committed to raising his three children, Kiffin has prospered at Ole Miss. He also experienced the death of father Monte in July 2024 and of mother Robin this past June after the couple had moved to join the older of their two sons.

Oxford offered Kiffin a collective embrace after his parents’ passing.

“The community took him in,” said season ticket holder Dan Williams, who made the three-hour trek from Natchez. “It’s going to be something, really, if he leaves. It really will.”

While cheering their Rebels passionately, fans set aside the reality they could be watching Kiffin’s final home game.

“Right now we do, but we just want a real answer: Is he going to stay or is he going to go?” said Pat Midland, who has attended games for more than 30 years. “I know he can’t answer that until the season is over with, but I wish he would come on out and say, ‘Hey, I’m staying.’ It’ll make us feel better.”

Kiffin enjoys the spotlight and stirring it up on social media. But he is laser-focused on capping the most promising season in 14 as a college head coach.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is the brains behind an offense averaging 37 points and leading the nation in pass plays of at least 20 yards. (Photo by Jason Clark/Getty Images)

Work remains, beginning with the regular-season finale Nov. 28 at rival Mississippi State in the storied Egg Bowl.

Upsets in the Egg Bowl, the in-state rivalry game dating to 1901, include Kiffin’s 20th-ranked Rebels losing in 2022 and Dan Mullen’s fourth-ranked Bulldogs falling in 2014 and his 16th-ranked team’s loss during his final game in 2017 before he himself left for UF.

A loss by Ole Miss in two weeks to Jeff Lebby’s much-improved squad could knock the Rebels out of the CFP and Kiffin immediately available for hire. He also could decide he has unfinished business in Oxford and ink a contract extension already reportedly awaiting his signature.

Kiffin’s decision is anybody’s guess, perhaps even for the coach.

“I don’t really think he’s leaving,” Williams said, “But you never can tell about Kiffin. He may go to Florida and leave in three years, too. I’m just saying, the grass is always greener on the other side to him at some point. It may change back the other way, but that’s the way he thinks.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC) at UF (3-7, 2-5)

When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday

Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

TV: SEC Network

Favorite: UF by 1.5 points

TALLAHASSEE — Ethan Pritchard led coach Mike Norvell and the Florida State football team through a sea of fans, a pregame routine where coaches and players make the trek from the buses into Doak Campbell Stadium.

Pritchard’s return to practice on Friday brought smiles to his face as well as teammates and coaches. The Sanford Seminole star linebacker was an emotional pregame lift for the Seminoles, who defeated Virginia Tech 34-14 on Saturday.

“It’s a miracle,” quarterback Tommy Castellanos said. “We’ve been praying for him and his family.”

Castellanos called it an emotional day for the Seminoles, who had their teammate back for the first time since he was shot in the head on Aug. 31 in Havana, Fla. Pritchard is in a wheelchair, but his father, Earl, said Ethan could be walking in January and hopes to play football again.

“Most of the times I’m Facetiming him he’s in the middle of a workout or his rehab,” Norvell said. “He has sweat going down his forehead — ‘Coach, they’re pushing me.’ I said, ‘Sorry, buddy, you’re built for it.’ He said, ‘Yes, I am.’ ”

Grateful for Pritchard’s recovery, FSU (5-5, 2-5 ACC) dominated VT. Here are five things we learned Saturday:

FSU’s run game was efficient once again

FSU’s coaches seemed to rotate tailbacks too often, causing pre-snap confusion early. But the Seminoles finished with 237 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry, with Ousmane Kromah (59 yards), Samuel Singleton Jr. (53 yards) and Castellanos (45 yards, two rushing touchdowns) leading the way.

FSU doesn’t necessarily need 200-yard rushing days but needs to be physical in the remaining games at NC State (No. 54 rush defense, 140.5 yards) and Florida (143.2 yards).

FSU’s run defense bent far too often

The Seminoles knew what was coming: VT struggles to pass and leans heavily on the run. But tailback Marcellous Hawkins and quarterback Kyron Drones were productive as they led the Hokies to 238 rushing yards (5.8 yards per carry).

A positive for the Seminoles: A forced fumble and a pair of fourth-down stops in the fourth quarter. On a 4th-and-6 play, linebacker Omar Graham Jr. and defensive lineman Mandrell Desir kept Drones from converting. A drive later, linebacker Blake Nichelson wrapped up Drones short of a first down.

Duce Robinson, difference-maker

Castellanos struggled to complete short passes, finishing 12 of 24 for 189 yards. But six of those completions went to Duce Robinson for 134 yards. And Robinson had two drops on short-yardage passes where Castellanos threw fades into the end zone to the 6-foot-6 receiver.

Robinson has made catches like those in 2025, and he later grabbed a 50-yard touchdown where he broke a tackle and raced for the end zone. With 49 receptions for 947 yards (and five touchdowns), Robinson is on the cusp of being FSU’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Tamorrion Terry in 2019.

With win on road, FSU’s bowl-eligible

FSU finished the home schedule 5-2, including wins over three Power 4 teams (Alabama, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech). Now the Seminoles hit the road, where they are 0-3 and scored just 13 points in the loss to Stanford and 10 points in the defeat to Clemson.

The Seminoles have lost their last three games at NC State, which is among the toughest places to win in the ACC. The Wolfpack (5-5) have lost three of four games but are also fighting to be bowl-eligible. Then FSU plays at Florida (3-7), which has little to fight for — other than ruining a rival’s season. These results could have a significant impact on how FSU administrators evaluate Norvell.

Weinberg can’t miss high-percentage kicks

Redshirt freshman kicker Jake Weinberg has made 11 of 15 field-goal attempts but two recent misses are cause for concern as he missed a 40-yarder at Clemson and a 34-yarder against Virginia Tech.

Weinberg’s miss against the Tigers came with FSU trailing 18-7. Opening the third quarter, the Seminoles’ drive stalled and a made field-goal attempt could have given momentum to a comeback. His miss against VT turned out to be inconsequential, but the FSU coaches must be able to trust Weinberg on field-goal attempts of 40 yards or less.