News
‘I always had a mission’: How LeBron James, 41, has maintained peak performance
By Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — Slowly, LeBron James put on a pair of ice bath toe booties and dipped his left foot and then his right foot into a bucket that had been prepared for him following a Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena. His longtime personal trainer and athletic performance coach, Mike Mancias, next wrapped both of James’ knees and his back in ice.
James closed his eyes for a few seconds and leaned back in his chair as the media gathered around him for his postgame interview.
This was just another step James has taken to care for his body, a step that shows the lengths he takes in the maintenance of his 6-foot-9 frame that has helped him have an illustrious 23-year career, longer than any player before him.
“Obviously I didn’t know it would be 23 years. I didn’t know that, but I know I didn’t want to have no six- or seven-year career. I can’t become legendary in six or seven years,” James told The Los Angeles Times. “I always had a mission. When I knew I could play this game at a high level, like, going to Chicago and playing with MJ [Michael Jordan] and all those guys when I was a sophomore [in high school]. And then when I went up to Cleveland and played against the Cavs when I was a junior and I was like, ‘Oh … I belong. I belong.’ I knew I still had to learn and I still had to continue to get my body right, continue to learn the game and nuances.
“But I was playing against NBA guys for a long time and I was like, ‘If I get the opportunity to crack the league, if I get the opportunity to showcase what I’m able to do, the only thing that can stop me is if I don’t take care of my body. The only thing that can stop me from being the greatest or one of the greatest to ever play this game is if I do not take care of myself.’ I did take care of my body. That’s it.”
James’ dedication to self care has become legendary in the sporting world. He is known to invest more than $1.5 million annually for a comprehensive approach to keeping his body fine-tuned.
James considers himself a biohacker: someone who uses science and technology to make their body function better and more efficiently.
He talked about using Normatec leg compression boots, hyperbaric chambers to restore oxygen, cryotherapy, red-light therapy and other cutting-edge technologies to maintain elite performances and longevity at the age of 41.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots as Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31), forward Daniel Gafford (21) and forward P.J. Washington defend during the first half on Thursday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)He talked about prioritizing sleep and nutrition, avoiding artificial sugars and fried foods.
When he missed the first 14 games this season because of sciatica, James cut back on drinking wine, one of his passions, in order to get his body back to full health.
“Obviously it’s gotten even more detailed as me and Mike have built a program,” James said. “It’s been 22 years of our program.”
It has worked for James to the highest order, as he has become the leading scorer in NBA history with 42,975 points.
Though his streak of being voted as a starter to the All-Star team was snapped at 21 years in a row, James still extended his NBA record to 22 selections when the coaches voted him in as a reserve for Sunday’s game at Intuit Dome.
Over his career, James said, he’s received plenty of offers to try new ways to do his physical therapy. For the most part, he has said no.
“It’s all type of … that is presented to you,” James said, smiling. “[People] are always trying to get you to do s—. But once we got the connection, it wasn’t really many people that we allowed to come and be in what we do. We had a couple of guys obviously throughout the process that helped along the way. But, nah, we knew what we wanted to do.”
When James was growing up in Akron, Ohio, and it became obvious he was athletic, he said his uncle, Curt, encouraged him to start taking care of his body immediately. His mother, Gloria, advised him to listen.
“I used to stretch before I went to bed and when I woke up, when I was like 10 or 11 years old,” James said. “My uncle Curt, my mom’s younger brother, used to make me do 100 calf raises a day and he used to make me do 50 pushups and 50 situps a day.”
James shook his head and laughed recalling those moments.
“He told me I had to get my calves stronger if I wanted to be great,” James said, smiling. “I never knew what that meant, whatever. But yeah, my uncle used to tell me to do that, and then a good friend of mine used to always tell me to stretch before I got in the bed and after I got out of the bed when I woke up the next morning. I don’t know, man. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
At no time during all this did James know what that advice would mean for his future.
“No, but I had people that I trusted,” James said. “I was icing after every game my rookie year. I was 18 years old. I was icing after games when I was a high school senior, a high school junior. Like, I was lifting [weights] my senior year.”
James told a story about playing in an AAU tournament with Kendrick Perkins when he was 14 and how some players were sitting in the stands eating fast food.
“They were eating McDonald’s,” James said, smiling, “and I was eating fruits.”
Jason Kidd, the Hall of Fame point guard who’s now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, was an assistant with the Lakers when James led them to the 2020 championship, and the two were teammates on the 2008 USA Olympic team that won the gold medal in Beijing.
Kidd has watched how James is averaging 22 points on 50.2% shooting, 7.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds this season and can’t help but marvel at how he continues to be a highly effective player with so many miles on his body.
“He’s had some injuries, but he’s taken care of his body, he’s always prepared himself for the marathon,” Kidd said. “But I think it’s the mental side. I think that’s the hardest part is to wake up and say, ‘Do I need to go play against a 20-year-old or a 19-year-old?’ He’s won championships, he’s been MVP, he’s been the face of the league. He’s a billion-dollar company.
“So, it’s the mental side. Understanding that he loves competition and he loves the game of basketball. So I think for him to do it at 41 is incredible.”
When the Lakers faced Kidd’s Mavericks on Thursday night, James was back in the lab early getting his body ready about six hours before tipoff.
It didn’t matter that it was the last game before the weeklong All-Star break. In James’ eyes, if you take care of your body, it will take care of you.
“I woke up this morning, went straight downstairs, got a stretch, did a little activation, like a little small lil’ lift” of weights, James said after the game. “Then I iced after that. Then I used the Normatec to pump my legs for an hour. Then I took a nap in the hyperbaric chamber for an hour and a half. Then I got in the cold tub, again, before I came here. So, I started my process here when I got here at 1:15 and prepared for a 7 o’clock game. It’s just around the clock.”
And as it turned out, all his work led to yet another record for James.
His triple-double of 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds made him the oldest player to accomplish the feat, pushing him past Karl Malone, who was 40 when he did it in November 2003.
And now comes another record with the All-Star Game.
UCF stumbles in second half against West Virginia, drops third straight
A Valentine’s Day showdown at Addition Financial Arena was supposed to help UCF feel the love again after a recent two-game slide. Instead, the Knights had their hearts broken as West Virginia rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to pull out a 74-67 win on Saturday.
The loss was painful not only because it was the third in a row, but it put the Knights’ postseason hopes in peril. The team had been on track to earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since the 2018-19 season, but those hopes are starting to evaporate.
West Virginia (16-9, 7-5 Big 12) went on a 28-13 run over the final 8 minutes to pull away with the win.
UCF (17-7, 6-6 Big 12) opened the second half on a 22-9 run to build up a double-digit advantage, but struggled to find an answer for the Mountaineers. The Knights continued their February swoon, falling to 5-13 overall in the month since joining the Big 12 two seasons ago.
“We didn’t execute,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “Coming down the stretch, you give them a lot of credit; that’s how they won a lot of their basketball games. We knew going in that we had to stay focused, but we didn’t sustain it. We didn’t sustain it in the second half as needed.”
WVU guard Honor Huff scored 18 of his team-high 21 points in the second half, including 10 points in the final 5 minutes. Guard Jasper Floyd added 17 and guard Chance Moore had 12.
Themus Fulks led UCF with 19 points and 7 assists, while Riley Kugel had 13 and Jordan Burks and Chris Johnson had 10 apiece.
After struggling to get off to fast starts in losses to Houston and Cincinnati, Kugel’s 30-footer to open play seemed like the right step for the Knights. But four early turnovers — three by point guard Fulks — over the first four minutes limited the damage against West Virginia.
UCF missed six of its next seven shots before a Fulks’ layup and foul, which helped the Knights retake the lead at 10-8 with 12:58 left in the half.
Show Caption1 of 25UCF guard Riley Kugel (middle) drives through West Virginia defenders Amir Jenkins (left) and Morris Ugusuk (right) during the West Virginia at UCF college basketball game in Orlando on Saturday, February 14, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) ExpandWest Virginia, however, stormed back to retake the lead, connecting on four of its next six shots to build an 18-15 advantage with 7:45 left. The Mountaineers relied on their size throughout much of the evening, scoring 38 of their 74 points in the paint.
UCF went on a 7-0 run late in the first half, fueled in part by center John Bol, who scored 4 points and blocked 2 shots in a three-minute period. The Knights built their largest lead at 29-24, but went scoreless for the final 2:22, allowing WVU to cut the advantage to 29-28 at the half.
UCF started the second half with a 23-10 run that helped the team soar to its largest lead of the game at 52-38 with 11:27 left in the game.
West Virginia responded with a run of its own — 21-7 — tying the game at 59 with 5 minutes remaining.
“This group’s been in these positions before and typically, we do a good job of not panicking,” West Virginia coach Ross Hodge said.
“We didn’t sustain the lead at all,” added a dejected Burks following the loss.
West Virginia shot 54% from the floor in the second half, while UCF shot 47%.
The Knights were without senior forward Jamichael Stillwell, who missed only his second game of the season. Dawkins said Stillwell injured himself during practice and was day-to-day.
UCF must rebound quickly as the Knights wrap up a two-game homestand by hosting TCU (7 p.m., ESPN+) on Tuesday.
“We have a talk about playing winning basketball, playing the right way, not to get out of character,” Dawkins said when asked about avoiding frustration setting in. “We know everybody means well. Everyone wants to help us be successful. But we don’t need hero ball. We need to play together. We need everybody fighting this fight in the same way, fighting our fight and that’s when we’ve had the most success.”
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
Pictures: UCF vs West Virginia College Basketball
Show Caption1 of 25UCF guard Riley Kugel (middle) drives through West Virginia defenders Amir Jenkins (left) and Morris Ugusuk (right) during the West Virginia at UCF college basketball game in Orlando on Saturday, February 14, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
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Heat’s ‘Showtime’ Keshad Johnson wins dunk contest at NBA All-Star Weekend
Delivering the same energy to the All-Star Saturday dunk contest he has delivered the past two years on the practice court and during mop-up duty in games, second-year forward Keshad Johnson on Saturday became the third player in the Miami Heat’s 38 seasons to win the competition.
“I dreamed of every year I was watching the NBA Dunk Contest, I dreamed of being out there, putting on a show for everybody,” Johnson said. “I learned from all the people that came before me, paying homage to them.”
Joining former Heat champions in the event Harold Miner and Derrick Jones Jr., Johnson defeated San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant in the final round of the competition at the Intuit Dome, the Inglewood, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Everybody’s journey is different,” said Johnson, “so all the kids out there, keep dreaming, have crazy, crazy faith.
“Once you’re in a dream, you control your dream, you can do anything in your dream. I felt like the fans were with me.”
Nicknamed Showtime for his relentless energy and enthusiasm, the forward who went undrafted out of Arizona in 2024 turned Sunday’s All-Star Game court into his personal Saturday stage.
“I just came out here and showed the people who Showtime was,” he said in accepting his winner’s trophy. “This is for the whole West Coast right here, baby.
“In the Bay, we do it a little different. We’ve got our own little swag. So I had to bring the legend.”
Opening the competition with a Karl Malone-style dunk while jumping over platinum-selling rapper and actor E-40 from his childhood neighborhood in Oakland, Calif., Johnson utilized that energy to win over the crowd and eventually a panel of judges that included dunking legends Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.
“E-40 was a part of the plan,” Johnson said. “My big bro Ethan, he made a call to E-40 and we got Unc on board and he was ready. He was ready. The love and respect that he gave me just to take time out of his day to be involved in this, I can’t ask for nothing better.”
Johnson and Bryant advanced to the final round, with Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson eliminated in the first-round in the four-player competition.
It was a whirlwind of a week for Johnson, who learned of his invitation to the competition just hours before being sent down to the G League by the Heat for two games of seasoning with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
“My journey, coming from Oakland, being able to put on for the Bay, going through my upbringing and everything. I beat the odds. I beat the odds,” Johnson said moments after winning the competition. “And I’m here, I’m here. I dreamed of being here each and every day. So once I got that call, I committed to it.”
Keshad Johnson’s swag was on a MILLION as a he walked out and dunked on E-40 in his first @att Slam Dunk!
Trailing by seven in final minute, visiting Miami scores last eight points to topple N.C. State
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Malik Reneau scored 26 points and Miami scored the last eight points of the game to beat North Carolina State 77-76 on Saturday night.
N.C. State scored seven straight points to take a 76-69 lead with 1:07 remaining. Then Reneau answered with a three-point play and Tru Washington added a layup to pull Miami to within 76-74 with 32 seconds left.
With 13 seconds to go, N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland missed a free throw. The Wolfpack’s Darrion Williams fouled Washington on a 3-point attempt on the following possession with three seconds remaining. Washington sank all three of his free-throw attempts before Matt Able missed a 3-pointer to end it.
Reneau shot 12 of 19 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds. Shelton Henderson added 17 points and nine boards for Miami (20-5, 9-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Tre Donaldson chipped in with 14 points and Washington finished with 13 for the Hurricanes, who have won three straight and five of their last six games.
Able and Ven-Allen Lubin scored 17 points apiece to lead N.C. State (18-8, 9-4). Copeland and Williams added 11 points each. The Wolfpack have lost back-to-back games since they had their six-game win streak snapped with a 118-77 loss to No. 24 Louisville.
Able made three 3-pointers and scored 15 points, and Copeland and Lubin added nine apiece to help N.C. State build a 43-37 halftime lead. Reneau scored 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting to pace Miami in the first half.
Daily Horoscope for February 15, 2026
General Daily Insight for February 15, 2026
A fresh, wide view could be hard to handle today. With the emotional Moon entering Aquarius at 1:17 am EST, we may feel pulled toward community conversations that spark inventive ideas and build kinder bonds. That said, changing the status quo often requires letting go of dynamics we find comfortable. When Luna conjoins intense Pluto, our feelings about such shifts might burst out in unpleasant ways! There’s more to life than logic, but overwrought emotions are likely to pass if we let them.
AriesMarch 21 – April 19
A social media fracas could be more complicated than it looks today. As the caring Moon meets life-and-death Pluto in your 11th House of Community, you may feel compelled to launch into action to defend an ally who has been mistreated. Maybe you can’t not do it, even if you aren’t totally sure of some of the facts. Your desire to be a protector is probably very powerful! Try to step back from it long enough to see whether it’s what this situation genuinely needs.
TaurusApril 20 – May 20
Making big professional decisions could be risky at the moment. While the moody Moon blurs with powerful Pluto in your 10th House of Career, clarifying your role and long-term direction may be difficult. You might be drawn to a particular outcome for emotional reasons, but that energy doesn’t necessarily blend well with the need to price a project realistically or ask for a fair rate. It’s okay to enjoy a grand heroic fantasy — just recognize it for what it is!
GeminiMay 21 – June 20
Getting too bored is a bad idea at the moment. Curiosity widens your world as the intuitive Moon enters your 9th House of Higher Learning, stirring questions about subjects and plans that reach beyond your daily routine. However, as Luna encounters shady Pluto, you might become a little obsessive in trying to find out about the dark side of life. The lure of hidden information is powerful, but keep whatever you discover in perspective — weigh it against your own real-world experiences.
CancerJune 21 – July 22
Comfort grows when truths breathe in safety. The nurturing Moon unites with intense Pluto in your 8th House of Intimacy, encouraging honest talks about deep issues. You might review a shared account or open up about a sensitive worry with a loved one. Even when everyone is doing their best to be caring, these discussions often aren’t easy. If someone overreaches, calmly state boundaries and propose a fair plan for moving forward. Clarity paired with kindness heals misunderstandings faster than silence.
LeoJuly 23 – August 22
Leo, your warmth lights rooms and hearts. Relationship dynamics could shift as the emotional Moon meets intimate Pluto in your 7th House of Partnership, inviting you to build agreements that honor both voices. If a partner, collaborator, or client pushes for control, reflect your generous nature by naming shared goals and suggesting fair roles, because clear structure protects affection. Plan a heartfelt check-in, and then offer appreciation that feels sincere, since praise opens doors that pressure often closes. Build balance now so love feels spacious.
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22
Meaningful course corrections are possible at this time. Your 6th House of Work gets a reset as the temperamental Moon enters, asking you to notice habits and timelines that need practical upgrades. A co-worker might drop a task, or a system glitch could slow you, exposing the weak links — and possibly really rattling you in the process. If health routines feel off, prep a nourishing lunch or take a brief walk, because order creates steady calm. Tend the basics so your day flows smoother.
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22
A break from routine can support your relationships today. Play invites honest feeling as the unconscious Moon enters your 5th House of Romance, highlighting simple moments of joy that bring hearts closer. Plan a lighthearted date or a family game, and let your diplomatic tone set easy rules so everyone feels seen. If someone fishes for attention, offer praise while naming your need for equal give and take, because harmony grows when kindness and clarity share space. Love breathes more freely when you’re having fun!
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21
When depth calls, your focus sharpens naturally. Your 4th House of Home becomes a deep well as the nurturing Moon conjoins unearthing Pluto there, encouraging you to cleanse closets and clear emotional dust. If a family member reveals a buried worry, listen closely, name what is true, and suggest a practical change that restores peace. Rearranging a room or taking a quiet walk together could also help break up an atmosphere cramped with heavy feelings. Create safety now so tenderness can unfold.
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21
Which horizon tempts your curious steps now? Your 3rd House of Communication buzzes when the instinctive Moon enters, inspiring quick messages and neighborly chats that brighten your day. If a plan changes, your upbeat flexibility is equipped to turn detours into discoveries. You might become very interested in a subject that you just happen upon by accident. That said, don’t uncritically accept every piece of mental clutter that comes your way — try to have a sense of your basic priorities.
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19
Capricorn, your steady plans deserve support. Figuring out how to get it might be a challenge while the moody Moon conjoins turbulent Pluto in your 2nd House of Resources. Pricing a project realistically or asking for a fair rate may be difficult. Whether you go too high or too low, an unmet emotional need is likely the culprit. Try to get at the bigger fears that your feelings are pointing toward. Change is probably needed, but think things all the way through first..
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 18
You’re likely to feel magnetic today. The unconscious Moon fuses with dark Pluto in your 1st House of Identity, and their meeting in your sign amplifies your presence. You might as well seize the opportunity to craft a bold introduction, update a profile, or enter a room with a clear intention that sets the tone. If someone projects old expectations, kindly correct the label and show who you are now, because growth deserves breathing room. Own your story, and choices will follow naturally.
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20
Quiet spaces could call loudly to you now. The intuitive Moon enters your 12th House of Spirituality, guiding you to rest, dream, and sort feelings that hide behind busyness. You might even notice old worries surfacing while washing dishes or listening to music. Try to write any anxieties down to get them out of your mind. A journaling session doesn’t have to be long and involved, though — sometimes it’s enough to just jot down the name of the problem and a gentle, compassionate next step!
Questionnaire: Stacy Sipple, candidate for Boca Raton City Council Seat D
Name: Stacy Sipple
Office sought: Boca Raton City Council – Seat D
Campaign website: www.stacyforboca.com
Date, place of birth: 01/27/1972 Boynton Beach, FL (Boca Raton did not have a
maternity unit at that time)
Generally speaking, is Boca Raton on the right track or the wrong track, and why?
I believe Boca Raton is shifting to the wrong track. Residents moved to Boca because it was unique and safe. We were on the smaller side, while still being a full-service city and offering every amenity you could want. We were not Ft. Lauderdale, we were not Miami. We had height restrictions, size restrictions and downtown buildings were expected to maintain the Mediterranean inspired look (e.g., clay tile roofs, limited glass percentage, specific color palettes) in recognition of the city’s historic architectural character. We were unique. A gem in the middle of overdevelopment.
Now, what has made us special is slowly disappearing. Our downtown looks like a hodgepodge of buildings, stuck wherever there was a postage sized piece of land left. No thought, no design, no plan. Now we are building up. What is thought of as “downtown” is about 344 acres or just over half a square mile. Yet, it is still not walkable. The daily essentials (e.g., groceries, drug stores, post office) require the use of a car. So, we have effectively overbuilt and ruined our unique aesthetic and increased traffic congestion. Residents that live within a mile or so from downtown avoid it because of the traffic. I know, I am one of them. We are currently in the process of approving more downtown residences and more hotels, most requiring variances and zoning changes. This constant expansion is not sustainable.
How will you vote on ballot question No. 1, and why? (police headquarters, public safety improvements)
AGAINST BONDS My main reason, at this time, is this requires us to issue bonds up to $175,000,000 plus interest and will be paid back from ad valorem taxes. There are current bills up for consideration, during the 2026 legislative session, in Tallahassee. In a worst-case scenario, our property taxes could be eliminated. How would we repay these bonds? It would be prudent to wait for the outcome, on the fate of property taxes, before making a large, costly decision such as this. We can then re-evaluate and decide the best course of action.
How will you vote on ballot question No. 2, and why? (Lease of downtown land, public improvements, Memorial Park)
NO First we need to see the results of the public vote, which I am thankful for. Public land = public vote. There is no question the area needs to be revitalized. The city can do it without handing over public land for a 99-year lease. We will need a visioning session with our residents to see what they would like to use the land for, especially east of 2nd Avenue. Memorial Park needs to be upgraded to a state-of-the-art athletic complex, with a focus on girls’ softball, as they always seem to lack appropriate fields to play on. It always HAS and WILL remain a memorial to our veterans.
The amount we are required to initially put up front for this project is ridiculous, especially when we will not see a profit for years and the amount is only based on speculation. Many do not remember the early Mizner Park years. We had a huge revenue difference concerning what was expected and what was actually received, nor do many remember the cost of maintenance and the lease agreements. The long-term lease terms of Mizner Park were in the agreements, and the courts later ruled that those terms legally encumbered the land, reducing its value. The City of Boca Raton lost because the lease itself became the encumbrance. We do not need another legal loss, to a developer, when it is our land. We own it, we can build on it and we will get all of the revenue, without involving a third party.
Are you satisfied that the ballot language approved by the City Council accurately reflects the details of the ballot questions?
Yes and No. Question #1 regarding the police department is pretty straight forward, but could be worded in a more basic manner. First time voters may not realize what some of the terminology means.
Question #2 regarding Memorial Park/Boca Raton City Center, LLC is on the reverse side of the ballot, making it very easy to miss. The wording sounds like the hundreds of advertisements we continuously receive via social media, mail, phone calls, “information sessions,” etc. It is a watered-down version of what we are constantly being brainwashed with. I am disappointed that the city had to scale down the initial wording, which was even more biased to the developer, and we still end up with a question that is misleading and placed in an easily missed location.
The Florida Legislature is considering proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes. Do you agree the taxes are too high, and what tax cut proposals do you support?
Boca Raton has one of the lowest millage rates in the county and most of the state. We cannot eliminate them and offer the services we do now. Homeowners that are now purchasing homes are experiencing huge property taxes due to the high property values. We have to figure out a way to offer additional homestead exemptions, perhaps based on an income sliding scale. We do not want to price people out. Not everyone is wealthy. We need everyday working families as much as every other resident, and we need to ensure they can afford to live here, especially with the high property values, property taxes and homeowners’ insurance. We also need to stop penalizing people that renovate or upgrade their homesteaded property, this could be based on years lived there. If you make some improvements, you get a re-appraisal by the property appraiser and your property taxes shoot through the roof. Raising sales tax just moves tax from one place to another. We need to focus on tax reform, but elimination would scale back many of the services, offerings and functions that make Boca Raton the best place to live and raise a family.
What most distinguishes you from your opponent(s)?
I am neither a politician nor on the Planning and Zoning Board. I have no ties to developers, and I will never take developer money. I am a native resident that wants to change the direction our city is moving in. I believe our residents have the right to determine the fate of public land by a referendum vote. I would like to see this reflected in an ordinance and the city charter. I will not be catering to developers over our residents. Our council (past and current) and Planning & Zoning Board have forgotten the residents and the impact we are feeling due to their leniencies on approvals, variances, zoning changes and more. Residents are the city’s largest asset and their voices should be heard. I want transparency and notifications increased. Project approval notifications are severely lacking and I will see that this is improved. This is not a political stepping stone for me or another political seat to warm. I am a native resident, watching the destruction of
my hometown. I am up against two men that have helped it occur, and I intend to fight to bring it back. If we don’t elect some sensible people to our council and turn this town around, we will be Fort Lauderdale and then Miami and will current residents stay or go? Our city is a gem and can still be saved. Saving means many things. We are at a crossroads. If we don’t turn in the right direction, our Boca Raton will be gone. Putting either of my opponents on the council defeats the
purpose of any real change. Boca Raton is worth fighting for. Please join me in saving our city and vote on March 10th.
List in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent, colleges and universities attended with years of attendance and degrees held.
Auburn University, Auburn, AL 1991 – 1998 Pharm.D. (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Palm Beach Community College (now Palm Beach State College) Boca Raton, FL 1990 – 1991 (part time) – no degree
List in reverse the chronological order your work history for the past 10 years.
Boca Raton Regional Hospital (Baptist) 2011 – 2023
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details and disposition.
No.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
No.
Questionnaire: Bernard Korn, candidate for Boca Raton City Council Seat A
Name: Bernard Korn
Office sought: Boca Raton City Council Seat A
Campaign website: www.electbernardkorn.com
Date, Place of birth: 1954, Manhatten, NY
Generally speaking, is Boca Raton on the right track or the wrong track, and why?
WRONG TRACK: Current Council Members and most Current Candidates controlled by Builders, Developers, Political Action Committees, Lobbyists and Special Interest Groups. See their Financial Contribution Lists on http://www.myboca.us (NOT LEADERS BUT PUPPETS ON A STRING)
How will you vote on ballot question No. 1, and why? (police headquarters, public safety improvements)
I genuinely support the police and first responders. The Current Council Members and Members of the Planning & Zoning Board failed to maintain our City Hall and Police Department. An investigation and Audit are in order. A better plan is needed by a New City Council and New Planning Board Members.
How will you vote on ballot question No. 2, and why? (Lease of downtown land, public improvements, Memorial Park)
A no vote.
The City Campus Project was poorly designed with absurd Financial Projections.
Are you satisfied that the ballot language approved by the City Council accurately reflects the details of the ballot questions?
Absolutely Not. Manipulated by City Council Members.
The Florida Legislature is considering proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes. Do you agree the taxes are too high, and what tax cut proposals do you support?
Yes, Boca Raton city taxes are too high.The incompetent City Council Members are not capable of financial budgets. A New COUNCIL TEAM is needed. We need to cut wasteful spending.
What most distinguishes you from your opponent(s)?
American Leader & Patriot, Trained and Certified Whistle Blower. (infragard.fbi.gov)
Licensed Real Estate Property Manager & Instructor. Expert in Urban Planning, Residential & Commercial Zoning Laws including, Statues, Rules and Regulations.
FICO 8 CREDIT SCORE: MAXIMUM SCORE is 850. BERNARD KORN CURRENT SCORE is 850
Chairman of Undiscovered Properties Finance & Loan Company. My Specialty is Large Scale Real Estate Development Projects throughout the world.
List in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent, colleges and universities attended with years of attendance and degrees held.
BROOKLYN COLLEGE: BACHELORS (4 YR) DEGREE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & FINANCE
List in reverse the chronological order your work history for the past 10 years.
Founder and Chairman of the United States Franchise association
Licensed Residential Real Estate Broker & Instructor
Licensed Commercial Real Estate Broker & Instructor (www.brevitas.com)
Chairman of Travel Lines Express, International Hospitality Franchise Company
Co-founder Empowering Single Mothers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details and disposition.
NEVER
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
NEVER
Parkland community marks eight years since Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy | PHOTOS
Show Caption1 of 16During the Eagles’ Haven 8th Commemoration of the Parkland Tragedy, families and friends take part in a dove release ceremony on Saturday, February 14, 2026. The Forever in Our Hearts Commemoration recognizing the 17 victims of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)ExpandThe Parkland and surrounding communities gathered Saturday at Eagles’ Haven to mark the eighth anniversary of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The “Forever in Our Hearts” commemoration included a candle lighting and a dove release to honor the 17 students and staff members lost on Feb. 14, 2018. The photo gallery captures moments of reflection from the memorial service, which brought together families of the victims, survivors, and local residents for a day of remembrance and unity.
Questionnaire: Christen Ritchey, candidate for Boca Raton City Council Seat A
Name: Christen Ritchey
Office sought: Boca Raton City Council, Seat A
Campaign website: www.christenritchey.com
Date, place of birth: 12/29/1979 in Louisville, KY
Generally speaking, is Boca Raton on the right track or the wrong track, and why?
Boca Raton is generally on the right track, although we are not immune to issues created by Washington and Tallahassee. The city continues to provide strong public safety, high-quality parks, and a stable economic environment that supports property values and local businesses. However, residents are increasingly concerned about traffic, flooding, infrastructure capacity, and maintaining neighborhood character. Thoughtful planning, transparent decision-making, and continued investment in infrastructure will be essential to ensuring the city stays on a positive path. And most importantly, having the revenue and action-oriented approach needed to get results and a responsible timeline.
How will you vote on ballot question No. 1, and why? (Police headquarters, public safety improvements)
I am voting yes on ballot question No. 1. Investing in public safety infrastructure is a core responsibility of local government. Doing so will ensure our police department has modern facilities and resources helps maintain safety, supports recruitment and retention, and protects quality of life for residents. The main police station should be centrally located and enhanced to support the increased number of residents since the current station was built in 1988.
How will you vote on ballot question No. 2, and why? (Lease of downtown land, public improvements, Memorial Park)
The revised plan is responsive to what the community has demanded, but the public vote is critical in having the final say. As long as the project remains transparent and fiscally responsible, I believe strategic public-private partnerships can enhance public spaces, create long-term community benefits, and improve downtown amenities while preserving important civic areas like Memorial Park. I will vote yes.
Are you satisfied that the ballot language approved by the City Council accurately reflects the details of the ballot questions?
I believe the ballot language reflects the general intent of the questions, but I also support continued transparency and public education so residents clearly understand the scope, costs, and long-term impact of each proposal before voting. I think the language could be written better with the financial benefits included, but that is probably true of most ballot questions.
The Florida Legislature is considering proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes. Do you agree the taxes are too high, and what tax cut proposals do you support?
Boca Raton, for the services we receive, has struck a reasonable balance on taxes. Remember, less than 25% of your tax bill is for the city, the rest is for the school district, county, and special districts. Property taxes are a concern for all residents, particularly those on fixed incomes. At the same time, these revenues fund essential services like police, fire, parks, and infrastructure. I support thoughtful, responsible tax relief that does not undermine public safety or city services. Any changes should be balanced, data-driven, and sustainable over the long term.
What most distinguishes you from your opponent(s)?
I have simply been much more involved in our community, with a far more positive approach. First, my experience serving the city from the Community Advisory Panel, the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and Boca Raton’s Planning & Zoning Board give me direct insight into how city policy affects neighborhoods, infrastructure, and quality of life.
Second, as a family law attorney and mediator I approach leadership with transparency, professionalism, and a commitment to listening and building consensus. Finally, I am not hyper-focused on one singular issue as my opponent is. I have a well-rounded view of what the City needs going forward.
List in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent, colleges and universities attended with years of attendance and degrees held.
University of Florida Levin College of Law — Juris Doctor
University of Florida — Bachelor of Science
List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 10 years.
Johnson Ritchey Family Law, Co-Founder/Family Law Attorney — 2014 to the Present
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details and disposition.
No.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
No.
Today in History: February 14, Gang members gunned down in ‘St. Valentine’s Day Massacre’
Today is Saturday, Feb. 14, the 45th day of 2026. There are 320 days left in the year. This is Valentine’s Day.
Today in history:On Feb. 14, 1929, the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” took place in a Chicago garage as seven rivals of Al Capone’s gang were gunned down.
Also on this date:In 1779, English explorer James Cook was killed on the island of Hawai’i during a confrontation after Cook’s attempt to kidnap Hawaiian monarch Kalaniʻōpuʻu as leverage to recover a boat stolen from one of Cook’s ships.
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In 1876, inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied separately for patents related to the telephone. (The U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled Bell the rightful inventor.)
In 1984, 6-year-old Stormie Jones became the world’s first heart-liver transplant recipient when the surgery was performed at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The girl died in 1990 at age 13.
In 1989, Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling on Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of “The Satanic Verses,” a novel the ayatollah condemned as blasphemous against Islam.
In 2013, double-amputee Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, saying he mistook her for an intruder; he was later convicted of murder and served nearly nine years of a sentence of 13 years and five months before being released from prison in January 2024.
In 2017, a former store clerk, Pedro Hernandez, was convicted in New York of murder in one of the nation’s most haunting missing-child cases, nearly 38 years after 6-year-old Etan Patz (AY’-tahn payts) disappeared while on the way to a school bus stop.
In 2018, a former student opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people in the nation’s deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in Newtown, Connecticut, more than five years earlier. (Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty to murder in October 2021 and was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)
In 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that more than 35,000 people died in Turkey as a result of an earthquake on Feb. 6, making it the deadliest such disaster since the country’s founding 100 years earlier. (The combined death toll in Turkey and neighboring Syria would surpass 50,000 people).
Today’s birthdays:- Former New York City mayor and businessman Michael Bloomberg is 84.
- Saxophonist Maceo Parker is 83.
- Journalist Carl Bernstein is 82.
- Magician Teller (Penn and Teller) is 78.
- Opera singer Renée Fleming is 67.
- Actor Meg Tilly is 66.
- Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly is 66.
- Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is 59.
- Actor Simon Pegg is 56.
- Rock singer Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty) is 54.
- Former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe is 54.
- Actor Danai Gurira is 48.
- Actor Freddie Highmore is 34.
- Actor Madison Iseman is 29.
Somerset Canyons boys soccer rallies by defending titlist American Heritage-Delray in PKs
BOYNTON BEACH — Somerset Canyons sophomore goalkeeper Jayden Rios didn’t play in Friday night’s 3A boys regional title game against defending state champion American Heritage-Delray until the final 1 minute, 45 seconds of the second overtime.
It was by design, as he and fellow sophomore goalie Massimo Valdepenas had split time for much of the season. Cougars soccer coach Eric De Sousa had committed to playing Rios in a penalty kick shootout to advance to the first final four appearance in school history.
“Massimo is a great keeper,” said Rios, who also had a penalty-kicks win last season. “Honestly, the save doesn’t compare to anything. Everybody was cheering the team and me on. This is the best.”
Rios, who didn’t touch the ball at all during overtime, got fingertips on three of the Stallions’ six penalty kicks in the shootout, but smothered the final shot by Oliver Pierro as Somerset Canyons stunned defending state champion American Heritage-Delray 3-2 (6-5 PKs) on Friday night.
“We knew Massimo was going to play this game,” De Sousa said. “We gave Rios the district championship final. We knew if it went to (penalty kicks), Rios was our guy.”
Mateo Kukcuoglu gave American Heritage-Delray (12-6) a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute, but Juan Casillas equalized for the Cougars on a penalty kick with a little less than four minutes remaining in regulation.
The Stallions’ Michael Harris blasted home a goal just three minutes into the first overtime before Kingston Alexis saw to it that the game went an additional 20 minutes of overtime when he scored off a brilliant left-footed cross from Emmanuel Colmenares with a little more than four minutes remaining for Somerset Canyons.
“Man, I just had to figure out my movement and get by two defenders,” Alexis said. “I don’t remember much. I just went crazy. Last year, we couldn’t go, so we wanted to do it right here on our field.
“We did this for the girls, too,” Alexis said after the defending state champion Cougars girls lost in PKs in a similar fashion to North Broward Prep just hours earlier. “They gave us motivation because we didn’t want to lose out here, too. We did it for them because it is a whole family out here.”
The Cougars (15-2-2) face Santa Fe (14-4-3) in the 3A state semifinal at Lake Myrtle Sport Complex in Auburndale on Thursday at 4 p.m. Top-seeded Downtown Doral (17-1-3) plays Cocoa Beach (16-7-1) in the other semifinal at 7 p.m.
De Sousa said the team was committed to earning a higher seed this year than American Heritage-Delray after losing the regional final last year as the visitor.
“It was a roller-coaster ride,” De Sousa said. “We wanted to play them on our field, in front of our fans. It was the same way in the district final (a 2-1 loss): we were down, came back, tied it, and then they won in the last minute.
“We knew we had to be resilient today,” he added. “They are going to make a movie someday about American Heritage and us. It is a classic. We weren’t going to change tactics, and for a freshman (Angel Morales) to make his kick at the end was incredible.”
Morales said he just started taking more penalty kicks this season, his first in high school and for his club.
“I was just blurring everything out as I was walking up to take the penalty kick,” Morales said. “I just focused, picked a side, and made it. I am happy for my team, and I believe we can win (state).”
American Heritage-Delray coach Victor Sanchez credited Somerset Canyons with being a “resilient bunch of boys.”
“They were down, and they battled through,” Sanchez said. “It’s tough. Our boys were resilient as well. There were some definite lows in the game for us, but I think we did an amazing job.
“I felt pretty confident going into the PKs, but things just didn’t fall our way,” he added. “For these boys, it is about their journey, and my heart goes out to them. We battled injuries and adversity all year, and I am proud of them, but you have to give a lot of credit to Somerset.”
Regional finals
Friday
3A
1. Somerset Canyons def. 3. American Heritage-Delray 3-2 (PKs)
2A
1. Melbourne Holy Trinity def. 2. King’s Academy 3-2 (PKs)
1A
1. Miami BridgePrep def. 3. Highlands Christian 3-1
According to FHSAA.com
Tuesday at 7 p.m. unless noted
7A
3. Columbus at 1. Cypress Bay
6A
3. Monarch at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas
5A
7. Dr. Joaquin Garcia at 4. Pembroke Pines Charter
4A
4. Mater Lakes at 2. American Heritage
State semifinals
In Auburndale
3A
Somerset Canyons vs. Santa Fe, Thursday, 4 p.m.
Munoz, North Broward Prep stun defending state champ Somerset Canyons in 3A girls soccer regional final
BOYNTON BEACH — Ella Munoz has been a multisport star at North Broward Prep since she was in the sixth grade.
The senior defender’s star never shone brighter than Friday night as her goal with a little over a minute left in the second overtime tied the game, and her game-sealing penalty kick in the shootout lifted the visiting Eagles (19-1-3) to a come-from-behind victory over the defending state champion Somerset Canyons 2-1 (4-2 PKs) in the 3A regional championship.
“I normally play defense and don’t really get a chance to shoot,” said Munoz, a multi-time Sun Sentinel All-County first-team selection for both soccer and track and field. “I can’t believe I scored. It was crazy to have the girls celebrate with me twice. … We have unfinished business (at state).”
North Broward Prep senior Ella Munoz celebrates after scoring the game-tying goal in the closing minute to force overtime in the Class 3A girls soccer regional championship game on Friday night. Munoz also scored the game-sealing penalty kick in the shootout as the visiting Eagles took down defending state champion Somerset Canyons, 2-1 (4-2 PKs). (Gary Curreri/Contributor)Munoz, whose only other trip to the state tournament came as an eighth grader when the team fell to Benjamin 4-2 in the state semifinal, will get another shot at a state championship as the No. 25-ranked Eagles face rival Cardinal Gibbons (20-0-2) at Lake Lytal Soccer Park in Auburndale on Thursday at 10 a.m.
The teams tied 1-1 on Nov. 6.
North Broward Prep has won 17 straight since a 2-1 loss to University School, including two wins over Somerset (14-3-1). The only other blemish on the Cardinal Gibbons’ record has been a 1-1 draw with Archbishop McCarthy in mid-November.
“They are an unbelievable team, unbelievably coached, and I wish them the best,” said Somerset Canyons coach Oscar Narvaez, whose only other loss was a 3-1 setback to Lourdes Academy. “It was a state championship atmosphere, and in the last minute, they stepped up. Ella Munoz is a helluva kid and a great player.”
Somerset Canyons, ranked 17th in the country by MaxPreps, had the Eagles on their heels most of the night, holding a 13-4 shot advantage.
North Broward Prep senior Lila Brown, right, battles Somerset Canyons senior Natalie Bruno in the Class 3A girls soccer regional championship game on Friday night. The visiting Eagles took down defending state champion Somerset Canyons, 2-1 (4-2 PKs). (Gary Curreri/Contributor)The Cougars grabbed a 1-0 lead when senior midfielder and FAU signee Sephora Joachim found senior midfielder and Kennesaw State signee Natalie Bruno at the top of the penalty area, where she spun to her right and rifled a shot just past the outstretched arms of Eagles’ senior goalkeeper Zoie Brown.
As she did in the district championship win, Brown was called on to make several key saves. She turned away two shots by Bruno and Joachim in the first half and then made two saves in the penalty kick shootout. The Eagles converted all four of their penalty kicks in the shootout, by Lila Brown, Sienna Lopez, Kaiden O’Neill and Munoz.
Brown, who was teammates with Joachim in winning a national championship for Team Boca, said she tried to recall where Joachim favored in the shootout.
“Since the eighth grade, we wanted this to go full circle,” Brown said. “We worked so hard all season for this. I thought she would go right. I went with my gut. Winning a national title and going back to state in my senior year is about the same level.”
Trailing 1-0 with three minutes to go in the second overtime, North Broward Prep coach Tricia Amrhein pushed Munoz forward from her center back position. The decision was rewarded less than two minutes later on a 30-yard curling shot to the far post past Somerset Canyons senior goalkeeper Mia Castano.
Somerset Canyons senior Natalie Bruno brings the ball upfield as North Broward Prep senior Isabella Cancelier, left, and senior Sophia Souza defend in the Class 3A girls soccer regional championship game on Friday night. The visiting Eagles took down defending state champion Somerset Canyons, 2-1 (4-2 PKs). (Gary Curreri/Contributor)“I told Ella to go up and play high and do what she can do,” Amrhein said. “And she put it in the back of the net. I know whenever Ella is involved in a play, something good is going to happen, and I knew once we went to PKs with Zoie that we would win it. If there was a group that I wanted it for, it was them.”
Somerset Canyons played without its leading scorer, Alexia Hansen, who was recently called in for the United States U17 National team training. Hansen was the co-Sun Sentinel 4A-1A player of the year last season and is an LSU commit.
Regional finals
Friday
3A
2. North Broward Prep def. 1. Somerset Canyons 2-1 (PKs)
1. Cardinal Gibbons def. 6. Immaculata-La Salle 3-1
2A
1. King’s Academy def. 3. Edgewood 1-0
1A
1. Berean Christian def. 2. South Florida HEAT 3-2
Tuesday at 7 p.m. unless noted
According to FHSAA.com
7A
2. Jupiter at 1. Lake Nona, 6 p.m.
2. Wellington at 1. Cypress Bay, 5 p.m.
6A
3. Cooper City at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas
5A
3. Pembroke Pines Charter at 1. Miami Lourdes Academy
4A
2. Somerset Academy at 1. American Heritage
State semifinals
In Auburndale
3A
North Broward Prep vs. Cardinal Gibbons, Thursday, 10 a.m.
2A
King’s Academy vs. Lakeland Christian, Tuesday, 10 a.m.
1A
Berean Christian vs. Canterbury, Friday, 10 a.m.
Ciscar, Sosa lead Hurricanes baseball to season-opening rout
CORAL GABLES — A combination of newcomers and returning standouts led Miami to a 13-2 season-opening victory over Lehigh at Mark Light Field on Friday night.
“We’re still undefeated, right?” UM coach JD Arteaga said. “We’re 1 and 0, so that’s a good way to start the season.”
Sophomore starting pitcher AJ Ciscar tossed five innings of one-run ball in the victory, and Miami got big hits from new catcher Alex Sosa and returning designated hitter Max Galvin.
After working a pair of relatively clean innings, Ciscar found himself in trouble in the third inning. Two infield singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Lehigh with two outs, and Lehigh then scored the game’s first run on an error by star third baseman Daniel Cuvet. Ciscar got the next batter to fly out to limit the damage.
Miami struck back immediately, though. After Lehigh starter Liam O’Hearen walked the first two batters of the third inning, the Mountain Hawks turned to reliever David Andolina, who promptly surrendered a two-run double to Galvin.
The Hurricanes kept pouring it on. Sosa, a transfer catcher from N.C. State, launched a three-run home run to right-center field to extend UM’s lead to 5-1. Fabio Peralta drove in a run with a single to push UM ahead 6-1.
“All preseason, all fall, the second I committed, I talked about, as a kid, coming to these games, watching Zack Collins hit him into the parking garage,” Sosa said. “And for me to get that away on the first one, that’s definitely super cool, and I’ll remember it forever.”
Although Ciscar got into trouble early in the game, he settled down in his last few frames. He finished his first start of the year with five hits allowed and seven strikeouts over five innings.
“He gave up a lot of soft-contact singles,” Arteaga said. ” … They might not be errors, but we’ve got to make plays, and we’ve got to get outs theres. So I think if one hit out into the outfield, however many hits he gave up. But he pitched well around the zone. Got a little cutter he’s been working on that that he got some outs on and some bad swings on, so we’re excited about that.”
After Ciscar came out of the game, Lehigh center fielder Dom Patrizi cut Miami’s lead to four runs with an RBI single against reliever Brixton Logren in the sixth inning.
Miami’s offense burst again in the bottom of the eighth inning. Shortstop Jake Ogden tacked on a run with an RBI triple, and Galvin picked up his third RBI with an infield single that scored Ogden. Sosa drove in his fourth run of the night to make it 9-2. Derek Williams added another RBI single to make it 10-2. Cian Copeland, making his Miami debut, drove in two more runs with a double in his first Hurricane at-bat. Jailen Watkins, making his freshman debut, drove in a run with a single, as well, to make it 13-2.
Miami faces Lehigh in the second game of the series at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
“Obviously, a win’s a win,” Sosa said. “Tomorrow, this win doesn’t matter. So to be able to bounce back and go right into it, that’s the most important thing. I guess the performance was cool up until the game ended, and then it really is a reset because any team can go out there the next day and get you. So we’ve got to prevent that from happening.”
Wellington’s Ciriaco takes home a second and fourth in state girls weightlifting
Wellington junior Amelia Ciriaco placed second in the 3A Olympic category and fourth in the traditional competition in the 119-pound weight class to earn two medals at the FHSAA girls weightlifting state championship at RP Funding Center in Lakeland from Wednesday through Friday.
The Olympic category consisted of the combined total of the clean-and-jerk and snatch. The traditional competition included the total of the bench press and clean-and-jerk.
Ciriaco recorded a 175 in the clean-and-jerk and 135 in the snatch for a 310 total in the Olympic competition. She also finished with a 145 in the bench press for a 320 total in traditional.
“I felt very accomplished with my performance,” Ciriaco said. “It was very nerve-wracking knowing that I could’ve placed as the state runner-up. It was very important to me to stay calm and keep my focus. My performance at states was one of the best I’ve put out as an athlete.”
Ciriaco placed first in both the Olympic and traditional categories at the regional championship earlier in the season.
Wellington senior Danielle Newell (110 pounds) finished third in traditional with a 285 total and fifth in Olympic with a 265 total while teammate Audrey DellaVecchia (129) placed 10th in traditional.
Wellington placed eighth in both the traditional and Olympic competitions in the 3A state championship.
“I’m so proud of how hard Amelia worked throughout the year to finish strong in a stressful environment,” Wellington coach Peter Callovi said. “Amelia and Danielle both competed so well to earn their medals to cap a championship season for the team.”
Dwyer’s McClean earns 3A Olympic runner-upDwyer senior Ianna McClean (129) placed second in the 3A Olympic category with a 335 total. She registered a 190 in the clean-and-jerk and 145 in the snatch. McClean placed ninth in the traditional competition with a 295 total.
Palm Beach Central senior Kimberly Berg (199) earned fourth in Olympic with a 370 total and placed fifth in traditional with a 410 total.
Park Vista senior Jayda Bell (110) placed fifth in traditional while Seminole Ridge’s Carrie Didio (183) placed seventh in traditional.
Pace captured the 3A championship in both the traditional and Olympic events.
St. John Paul II’s Hardy shines in 1ASt. John Paul II junior Faith Hardy (199) placed sixth in both traditional and Olympic at the 1A championship.
Oxbridge Academy’s Sienna Burroughs (101) placed fifth in Olympic and 10th in traditional. Pine Crest’s Cat Farrell (101) placed sixth in Olympic while teammate Maddie Lemieux (101) placed seventh in traditional.
King’s Academy’s Sasha Cousins (154) placed fifth in traditional while teammates Ashlyn Martin (139) placed eighth and T’Nesha Rasmussen (183) finished 10th.
Wewahitchka placed first in both traditional and Olympic at the 1A championship.
Boynton Beach has top performers in 2ABoynton Beach’s Taikha Jean-Claude (199) placed seventh in the Olympic event at the 2A championship while teammate Clairisha Charles (169) finished ninth in the Olympic category.
Dr. Joaquin Garcia’s Keira Fritz (129) placed 10th in traditional while Atlantic’s Keymaya Louis (183) finished 10th in the Olympic event.
River Ridge won the 2A championship in traditional while Braden River captured the Olympic title.
Immigration officials plan to spend $38.3 billion to boost detention capacity to 92,000 beds
By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Federal immigration officials plan to spend $38.3 billion to boost detention capacity to 92,600 beds, a document released Friday shows, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement quietly purchases warehouses to turn into detention and processing facilities.
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Republican New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte posted the document online amid tension over ICE’s plans to convert a warehouse in Merrimack into a 500-bed processing center.
It said ICE plans 16 regional processing centers with a population of 1,000 to 1,500 detainees, whose stays would average three to seven days. Another eight large-scale detention centers would be capable of housing 7,000 to 10,000 detainees for periods averaging less than 60 days.
The document also refers to the acquisition of 10 existing “turnkey” facilities.
Plans call for all of them to be up and running by November as immigration officials roll out a massive $45 billion expansion of detention facilities financed by President Donald Trump’s recent tax-cutting law.
More than 75,000 immigrants were being detained by ICE as of mid-January, up from 40,000 when Trump took office a year earlier, according to federal data released last week.
The newly released document refers to “non-traditional facilities” and comes as ICE has quietly bought at least seven warehouses — some larger than 1 million square feet — in the past few weeks in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Warehouse purchases in six cities were scuttled when buyers decided not to sell under pressure from activists. Several other deals in places like New York are imminent, however.
City officials are frequently unable to get details from ICE until a property sale is finalized.
Tensions boiled to the surface after interim ICE Director Todd Lyons testified Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security “has worked with Gov. Ayotte” and provided her with an economic impact summary.
Ayotte said that assertion was “simply not true” and the summary was sent hours after Lyons testified.
The document mistakenly refers to the “ripple effects to the Oklahoma economy” and revenue generated by state sales and income taxes, neither of which exist in New Hampshire.
“Director Lyons’ comments today are another example of the troubling pattern of issues with this process,” Ayotte said. “Officials from the Department of Homeland Security continue to provide zero details of their plans for Merrimack, never mind providing any reports or surveys.”
DHS did not respond to questions about Ayotte’s comments or the new document. But it previously confirmed that it was looking for more detention space, although it objected to calling the sites “warehouses,” saying in a statement that they would be “very well structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards.”
Associated Press writer Holly Ramer contributed.
A California photographer is on a quest to photograph hundreds of native bees
By JAIMIE DING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the arid, cracked desert ground in Southern California, a tiny bee pokes its head out of a hole no larger than the tip of a crayon.
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Krystle Hickman crouches over with her specialized camera fitted to capture the minute details of the bee’s antennae and fuzzy behind.
“Oh my gosh, you are so cute,” Hickman murmurs before the female sweat bee flies away.
Hickman is on a quest to document hundreds of species of native bees, which are under threat by climate change and habitat loss, some of it caused by the more recognizable and agriculturally valued honey bee — an invasive species. Of the roughly 4,000 types of bees native to North America, Hickman has photographed over 300. For about 20 of them, she’s the first to ever photograph them alive.
Through photography, she wants to raise awareness about the importance of native bees to the survival of the flora and fauna around them.
“Saving the bees means saving their entire ecosystems,” Hickman said.
Community scientists play important role in observing beesOn a Saturday in January, Hickman walked among the early wildflower bloom at Anza Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, a few hundred miles southeast of Los Angeles, where clumps of purple verbena and patches of white primrose were blooming unusually early due to a wet winter.
Where there are flowers, there are bees.
Photographer Krystle Hickman photographs wild bees as desert sunflowers blanket the valley floor at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)Hickman has no formal science education and dropped out of a business program that she hated. But her passion for bees and keen observation skills made her a good community scientist, she said. In October, she published a book documenting California’s native bees, partly supported by National Geographic. She’s conducted research supported by the University of California, Irvine, and hopes to publish research notes this year on some of her discoveries.
“We’re filling in a lot of gaps,” she said of the role community scientists play in contributing knowledge alongside academics.
On a given day, she might spend 16 hours waiting beside a plant, watching as bees wake up and go about their business. They pay her no attention.
Originally from Nebraska, Hickman moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She began photographing honey bees in 2018, but soon realized native bees were in greater danger.
Now, she’s a bee scientist full time.
“I really think anyone could do this,” Hickman said.
A different approachMelittologists, or people who study bees, have traditionally used pan trapping to collect and examine dead bee specimens. To officially log a new species, scientists usually must submit several bees to labs, Hickman said.
There can be small anatomical differences between species that can’t be photographed, such as the underside of a bee, Hickman said.
This photo, provided by Krystle Hickman, shows a Perdita californica male bee on May, 1, 2025 at Orange Hills Regional Park in Orange, Calif. (Krystle Hickman via AP)But Hickman is vehemently against capturing bees. She worries about harming already threatened species. Unofficially, she thinks she’s photographed at least four previously undescribed species.
Hickman said she’s angered “a few melittologists before because I won’t tell them where things are.”
Her approach has helped her forge a path as a bee behavior expert.
During her trip to Anza Borrego, Hickman noted that the bees won’t emerge from their hideouts until around 10 a.m., when the desert begins to heat up. They generally spend 20 minutes foraging and 10 minutes back in their burrows to offload pollen, she said.
“It’s really shockingly easy to make new behavioral discoveries just because no one’s looking at insects alive,” she said.
Hickman still works closely with other melittologists, often sending them photos for identification and discussing research ideas.
Photographer Krystle Hickman photographs wild bees as desert sunflowers blanket the valley floor at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)Christine Wilkinson, assistant curator of community science at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, said Hickman was a perfect example of why it’s important to incorporate different perspectives in the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
“There are so many different ways of knowing and relating to the world,” Wilkinson said. “Getting engaged as a community scientist can also get people interested in and passionate about really making change.”
Declining native beesThere’s a critically endangered bee that Hickman is particularly determined to find — Bombus franklini, or Franklin’s bumblebee, last seen in 2006.
Since 2021, she’s traveled annually to the Oregon-California border to look for it.
Photographer Krystle Hickman walks in a field of wildflowers while photographing wild bees at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)“There’s quite a few people who think it’s extinct, but I’m being really optimistic about it,” she said.
Habitat loss, as well as competition from honey bees, have made it harder for native bees to survive. Many native bees will only drink the nectar or eat the pollen of a specific plant.
Because of her success in tracking down bees, she’s now working with various universities and community groups to help find lost species, which are bees that haven’t been documented in the wild for at least a decade.
Hickman often finds herself explaining to audiences why native bees are important. They don’t make honey, and the disappearance of a few bees might not have an apparent impact on humans.
“But things that live here, they deserve to live here. And that should be a good enough reason to protect them,” she said.
Judge dismisses charges against 3 Connecticut officers accused of mistreating paralyzed prisoner
By DAVE COLLINS
A Connecticut judge on Friday dismissed criminal charges against three current and former New Haven police officers who were accused of mistreating prisoner Richard “Randy” Cox after he was paralyzed in the back of a police van in 2022.
Judge David Zagaja dropped the cases against Oscar Diaz, Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera after granting them a probation program that allows charges to be erased from defendants’ records, saying their conduct was not malicious. Two other officers, Betsy Segui and Ronald Pressley, pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor reckless endangerment and received no jail time.
Cox, 40, was left paralyzed from the chest down on June 19, 2022, when the police van, which had no seat belts, braked hard to avoid an accident, sending him head-first into a metal partition while his hands were cuffed behind his back. He had been arrested on charges of threatening a woman with a gun, which were later dismissed.
FILE – This combo of photos provided by the Connecticut State Police, shows, from left, New Haven, Conn., police officers Oscar Diaz, Betsy Segui, Jocelyn Lavandier, Luis Rivera and Ronald Pressley. (Connecticut State Police via AP, File)“I can’t move. I’m going to die like this. Please, please, please help me,” Cox said in the van minutes after being injured, according to police video. He later was found to have broken his neck.
Diaz, who was driving the van, brought Cox to the police department, where officers mocked Cox and accused him of being drunk and faking his injuries, according to surveillance and body-worn camera footage. Officers dragged Cox out of the van and around the police station before placing him in a holding cell before paramedics brought him to a hospital.
Before pulling him out of the van, Lavandier told Cox to move his leg and sit up, according to an internal affairs investigation report. Cox says “I can’t move” and Lavandier says “You’re not even trying.”
New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr.’s office said prosecutors and Cox did not object to the charges being dismissed.
Defense lawyers said that while the officers were sympathetic to what happened to Cox, they did not cause his injuries or make them worse. The three officers whose cases were dismissed were scheduled to go on trial next month.
“We don’t think that there was sufficient evidence to prove her guilt or any wrongdoing,” said Lavandier’s attorney, Dan Ford. “This is a negotiated settlement that avoids the risk of having go through the emotional toll of a trial.”
Rivera’s lawyer, Raymond Hassett, called the decision to charge the officers “unjust and misplaced.”
“The actions of the Police Chief and City Mayor in targeting the officers were a misguided effort to deflect attention from the police department shortcomings in managing the department and ensuring proper protocols were in place and followed,” Hassett said in a statement.
Attorneys for Cox and Diaz did not immediately return phone and email messages Friday. Cox’s lawyer, Louis Rubano, has said Cox and his family hoped the criminal cases would end quickly with plea bargains.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said city officials disagreed with the judge’s decision to dismiss the charges.
“What happened to Randy was tragic and awful,” he said in a statement.
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The case drew outrage from civil rights advocates including the NAACP, along with comparisons to the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore. Cox is Black, while all five officers who were arrested are Black or Hispanic. Gray, who also was Black, died in 2015 after he suffered a spinal injury while handcuffed and shackled in a Baltimore police van.
The case also led to reforms at the New Haven police department as well as a statewide seat belt requirement for prisoners.
In 2023, the city of New Haven agreed to settle a lawsuit by Cox for $45 million.
New Haven police fired Segui, Diaz, Lavandier and Rivera for violating police conduct policies, while Pressley retired and avoided an internal investigation. Diaz appealed his firing and got his job back. Segui lost the appeal of her firing, while appeals by Lavandier and Rivera remain pending.
Some US schools cancel class pictures after online claims surrounding Epstein
By JOHN HANNA and KENDRIA LAFLEUR
MALAKOFF, Texas (AP) — Some school districts in the U.S. dropped plans for class pictures after widespread social media posts linked a billionaire with ties to Jeffrey Epstein to the photography giant Lifetouch, which on Friday called the claims “completely false.”
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The disruption to school picture plans in Texas and elsewhere began after online posts linked Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students each year, to the investment fund manager Apollo Global Management. Apollo’s former CEO is billionaire investor Leon Black, who met regularly with Epstein and was advised by Epstein on financial matters.
Black led the company in 2019, when funds managed by Apollo bought Lifetouch’s parent company, Shutterfly. The $2.7 billion deal closed in September 2019 — a month after Epstein’s death by suicide behind bars as he awaited trial over allegations from federal prosecutors that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of girls.
Both Lifetouch and Apollo noted that timeline in statements Friday, two days after Lifetouch CEO Ken Murphy said in an Instagram post that neither Black nor any of Apollo’s directors or investors ever had any access to Lifetouch photos.
“No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo,” Lifetouch said in its statement Friday. “Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch’s daily operations and have no access to student images.”
The canceled school pictures are another ripple effect over the release of millions of files from the Epstein investigation, including documents showing Epstein’s regular contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after a 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges.
In the small Texas town of Malakoff, the local school district canceled a student picture day after several parents told the district they weren’t comfortable with Lifetouch photographing their children, spokesperson Katherine Smith said in a statement e-mailed Friday. Several other schools and districts in Texas also canceled or changed plans, as well as a charter school in Arizona, according to Facebook announcements posted by the schools.
“We decided our students and families would be best served by keeping all of our pictures in-house for the rest of this year, and we are looking at all of our options for the 2026-2027 school year,” Smith said.
Parents concerned about Lifetouch included MaKallie Gann, whose children attend schools in Howe, about 60 miles north of Dallas. She said she was worried about how much information Lifetouch collects on students.
“Whenever you order the pictures, it has their name. It has the age, of course. It has their grade, their teacher, the school that they’re in,” she said.
No evidence of Epstein or anyone in his orbit seeing Lifetouch photos has emerged from news organizations’ review of thousands of documents released this month by the U.S. Department of Justice, though there are at least 1.7 million records.
The review shows Black’s name appeared 8,200 times, though that figure likely includes some duplicate records. Black stepped down as Apollo’s CEO in March 2021, saying he wanted to focus on his family, health, and “many other interests.”
That was two months after a committee of the company’s board issued a report concluding that Epstein had advised Black personally on estate planning, tax issues, charitable giving and running his “family office,” but provided no services to Apollo or invested in no Apollo funds.
The report also said the review — which Black requested — found “no evidence” that he was involved with Epstein’s alleged criminal activities “in any way” or “at any time.” ___
Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Also contributing was Associated Press writer Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Affordable housing residents near Portland ICE building ask judge to limit feds’ use of tear gas
By CLAIRE RUSH
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Multiple residents of an affordable housing complex in Portland, Oregon, have bought gas masks to wear in their own homes, to protect themselves from tear gas fired by federal agents outside the immigration building across the street. Others have taped their windows or stuffed wet towels under their doors, while children have sought security by sleeping in closets.
Some are now telling their stories to a federal judge Friday, as they testify in a lawsuit seeking to limit federal officers’ use of tear gas during protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building following months of repeated exposure.
The property manager of the apartment building and several tenants filed the suit against the federal government in December, arguing that the use of chemical munitions has violated residents’ rights to life, liberty and property by sickening them, contaminating their apartments and confining them inside. They have asked the court to limit federal agents’ use of such munitions unless needed to respond to an imminent threat.
FILE – Law enforcement officers stand in the street to allow vehicles to leave a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest in Portland, Ore., Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)“They’re simply trying to live their lives in peace in their homes,” Daniel Jacobson, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said during the hearing. “Yet our federal government is knowingly putting them through hell, and for no good reason at all.”
The defendants, which include ICE and the Department of Homeland Security and their respective heads, say officers have deployed crowd-control devices in response to violent protests at the building, which has been the site of demonstrations for months.
”The conduct at issue, law enforcement’s use of crowd control tactics to disperse unlawful crowds, does not even come close to shocking the conscience,” Samuel Holt, an attorney for the federal government, said during the hearing.
The case comes amid growing concern over federal officers using aggressive crowd-control tactics, as cities across the country have seen demonstrations against the immigration enforcement surge spearheaded by President Donald Trump’s administration.
FILE – A view of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, top left, in Portland, Ore., Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)In testimony, tenants of the Gray’s Landing apartment complex described experiencing difficulty breathing, coughing, dizziness and other symptoms following exposure to chemicals from tear gas, smoke grenades and pepper balls.
“I have a gas mask in my bedroom. I have one in my living room. And I have one in my backpack,” said a plaintiff using a pseudonym due to being a domestic violence survivor. “I’ve slept with it on.”
She described how the chemical munitions triggered her post-traumatic stress and entered into her apartment. ”I could feel it, I could see it, I could taste it, I could smell it,” she said of the gas.
Gas canisters have hit apartments and been found in the building’s courtyard and parking garage, according to the complaint.
Another plaintiff, Susan Dooley, a 72-year-old Air Force veteran with diabetes and high blood pressure, was sent by a doctor to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with shortness of breath and mild heart failure, the complaint said. Whitfield Taylor, who has placed wet towels around his window air conditioning unit in a bid to block the gas from entering his home, had to take his two daughters, 7 and 9, to urgent care for respiratory symptoms. The girls sometimes sleep in his closet to feel safe, according to the complaint.
Of the affordable housing complex’s 237 residents, nearly a third are age 63 or older, according to court filings. Twenty percent of units are reserved for low-income veterans and 16% of tenants identify as disabled.
The plaintiffs filed an updated request for a preliminary injunction limiting federal officers’ use of tear gas late last month, after agents launched gas at a crowd of demonstrators including young children that local officials described as peaceful.
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“As this brief is being filed, tear gas is once again inside the homes of Plaintiffs and other residents of Gray’s Landing,” the filing says, adding that it was launched by officers “despite facing no violence or imminent threats at all.”
The government said in court filings that federal officers have at times used crowd control devices in response to crowds that are “violent, obstructive or trespassing” or do not comply with dispersal orders.
It has also pushed back against the claims of tenants’ constitutional rights being violated, saying that under such an argument, “federal and state law enforcement officers would violate the Constitution whenever they deploy airborne crowd-control devices that inadvertently drift into someone’s home or business, even if the use of such devices is otherwise entirely lawful.”
The hearing comes after a federal judge in a separate Oregon lawsuit temporarily restricted agents’ use of tear gas during protests at the building. The temporary restraining order in that case, filed by the ACLU of Oregon on behalf of protesters and freelance journalists, is set to expire next week.
