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Morning Update: South Florida’s top stories for Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026
Here are the top stories for Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.
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Pompano Beach to weigh whether to cut off Broward Sheriff’s Office
Sports betting drives jump in calls to Florida problem gambling helpline
Pembroke Pines election: Two commission seats up for grabs
Winter freezes hit Florida growers with $3.1 billion tab, state says
Florida faculty union, profs decry ‘censored’ state sociology textbook
US military strikes alleged drug boat in Caribbean Sea, killing 3
Domestic travel drives record Florida tourism in 2025
Miss Manners: My sons-in-law have offensive table manners. Now my grandchildren do, too
Angry fliers threaten to boycott ‘Trump Airport’ | Letters to the editor
I have always considered Palm Beach International Airport (PBIA) my favorite airport and first choice when making travel plans.
But now that the bootlickers want to rename it after our current president, whose accomplishments are nowhere near the 11 presidents whose names are on airports, I will make my flight plans elsewhere.
I refuse to support anything with Trump’s name on it.
It is apparent that his main goal is enriching himself and his family through his cryptocurrency, Trump-branded items, licensing, media ventures and other business activities that have generated well over $1 billion so far. He has also trademarked his name in connection with future Trump airport names, which no other president has done.
Those who support him turn a blind eye to his incessant lies, mistreatment of the media and everyone who opposes him, and his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The Republican sycophants currently in office, out of fear, won’t stand up to him. He’s ruining our country and everything we stand for.
I am more horrified with each passing day and cannot wait for him to leave office.
Joan Blakesberg, Boca Raton
What’s the rush?To Florida lawmakers: Surely you can a find better use of $5.5 million than to rename Palm Beach International Airport after this president.
That usually takes place after a president leaves office. So what’s the rush?
Further, this president is very divisive and was deemed the worst U.S. president ever, per 125 presidential scholars. I’m hoping the Florida Legislature will abandon this very costly — and might I say very unpopular — proposal.
Beth Kaye, Boynton Beach
An outlandish assaultOur feckless Florida legislators, in their infinite wisdom, have approved renaming PBI for a convicted felon, an inveterate liar, a man who has pardoned the insurrectionists who attacked our Capitol on Jan. 6, a grifter who uses the Presidency as his personal ATM, who created chaos with ICE tactics and had a long-term relationship with a guy named Epstein, whose name will be the first thing visitors will see as they approach the formerly-named Palm Beach International Airport.
Do I have it right? And who do you think will foot the bill for this outlandish assault on our sensibilities?
Norman Berkowitz, Boynton Beach
All through with PBIA Scenes from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)I live roughly equidistant from all three major airports in South Florida: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Miami and West Palm Beach.
I often double-check the airports to see which one offers the best times to fly or might be offering the best prices for flights and destinations.
If Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) agrees to change the name to the 34-time convicted felon and twice-impeached president, I will move forward looking to Fort Lauderdale and Miami as the airports I will use.
I will never set foot in PBIA if this name change goes through — and I would think that I’m not alone, either.
Jack Bloomfield, Coral Springs
Shame, not honorFlorida should be proud of having a president whose residency is in Florida. But if the person is a convicted felon, an admitted sexual predator, a bully, a proven liar and grifter, should he receive any honors?
His actions have undermined our democracy and made America a laughingstock.
I am ashamed to tell my grandchildren that this state is thinking about honoring someone not for his integrity or service, but for cruelty and corruption, enabled by leaders too timid to stand for principle.
I respectfully urge the Florida Legislature not to name any airport, street or public facility after an individual whose legacy brings shame rather than honor.
Helen Fleischman, Lake Worth Beach
The pursuit of profitAs the Sun Sentinel reports, the president finally realizes that the U.S. Constitution can be a good thing.
He and his family have filed papers to protect the Trump name in anticipation of the Florida Legislature’s naming of Palm Beach International Airport in his honor.
These protections are in Art. I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution: ” … to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
I find it interesting that the president feels he needs protection to do what he wants to whomever he wants, without any accountability or consequences. Could it be that he needs to follow the law in order not to have someone steal his big beautiful name so he can profit from it?
Jay Rechtman, Boynton Beach
So name everything for TrumpWho elected these bozos in the Legislature?
Let’s just name Palm Beach County for Trump. Name every airport after him. All the bridges, too.
I will never take a flight out of PBIA again if it is renamed for this unfit narcissist.
I say, let’s give him the airport — if the town of Palm Beach is renamed Pedophile Beach. So much history is wrapped up in molesting young women and then covering it up behind iron gates and foliage.
Take your blinders off, people — you’re being taken advantage of once again.
Mark Walker, Boca Raton
A highly polarizing figureThe naming of public buildings after individuals is a significant gesture that typically reflects a consensus on their positive impact, legacy and public service.
Donald Trump remains a highly polarizing figure in American politics. Opinions about his actions and leadership are sharply divided. Associating a public building with his name could risk alienating members of the community and fostering controversy rather than unity.
Public buildings should ideally represent values such as inclusivity, respect and civic pride. Given the contentious debates surrounding Trump’s tenure and public statements, naming a building after him might undermine these principles and provoke disputes.
It’s important to prioritize those figures whose contributions are broadly recognized as beneficial and unifying, when considering such honors. With Trump’s name now registered as a copyrighted logo, using it for anything else would require paying a fee.
Rob O’Neill, Lighthouse Point
A question for Palm BeachWhy would the people of Palm Beach County want to name their airport after a man who has had 34 felony convictions for falsifying business records, etc.; was found liable in federal court for sexual abuse and defamation; settled a lawsuit with New York state over misuse of charitable funds; agreed to settle a class action suit to resolve fraud claims over Trump University; and was a known bestie to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein?
Does this make any sense to anyone? If it does, we’re in more trouble than we know.
Karyn Rhodes Dornfield, 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.
[contact-form]Miss Manners: I’m not enthusiastic about attending my son’s ‘wedding’ party
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Last year, our son married his longtime girlfriend in a lovely ceremony followed by a large reception.
This year, they’re planning an even bigger party. This next party is somehow about their wedding — but we already had the wedding!
I’m finding it difficult to be enthusiastic about attending a party when I don’t know what I’m celebrating. To have a second celebration seems to make the first one less meaningful.
Of course I can decline with a simple “no, thank you,” but I would like to hear your comments.
GENTLE READER: Would you feel better if they called it an anniversary party?
In today’s casual world, it puzzles Miss Manners that people seem to think a wedding is the only formal event they are entitled to throw or attend — unless they are up for an entertainment award.
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People crave a bit of formality, if only for a rare change from near-universal grunge. Thus the urge to have multiple weddings — if not multiple marriages.
Boycotting this event would be a hostile move. Are you not in a position to have a gentle conversation with the couple, in which you support their idea but discuss modifying it? Calling it an anniversary party would make it their first big attempt at entertaining, instead of a wedding rerun.
Then again, perhaps they should not call it that. Surely they don’t want their friends thinking, “Do we have to give them presents AGAIN?”
DEAR MISS MANNERS: People want to feel loved and cherished. An invitation to share a meal in your home is a special example. So when dinner guests ask me what they can bring, I tell them something specific: “Oh, I would love some pink peonies. Those would be so beautiful.”
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Or I might request a bottle of maple syrup, or a recipe card for the wonderful cookies the guest baked on a previous visit.
Offering these suggestions lets your friends love you back.
GENTLE READER: Please do not make the idea of bringing something — or, as it is now phrased, “not showing up empty-handed” — more of a chore than it already is.
Miss Manners pictures your guests, looking forward to a pleasant evening with you, being confronted with your suggestions.
“Pink peonies?” they say in despair. “Where in the world are we supposed to find those? Even if there’s a florist open, they’re not likely to have those on hand.” Or: “Maple syrup? We could stop at the grocery store on the way, but they probably expect some kind of gourmet version.” Or: “What cookie recipe? Maybe they’re thinking of those cookies that Aunt Lucy sent us, and I didn’t correct their assumption that I’d baked them. How do I know what the recipe was?”
Miss Manners would not describe this as making someone feel loved.
It is not the job of hosts to dictate any presents the guests may bring. And bringing something is not an easy job for the guests. Many used to bring flowers or chocolates, but would now risk running into allergies and diets, so they bring wine instead — to the annoyance of hosts who do not drink.
Miss Manners only wishes everyone would calm down. A token present is fine, but the real show of appreciation from a guest is responding to the invitation immediately, engaging other guests in friendly conversation, thanking the host and reciprocating soon.
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.
Today in History: February 24, Jerry Falwell loses to Larry Flynt at the Supreme Court
Today is Tuesday, Feb. 24, the 55th day of 2026. There are 310 days left in the year.
Today in history:On Feb. 24, 1988, in a ruling that expanded legal protections for parody and satire, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned a $200,000 award that the Rev. Jerry Falwell had won against Hustler magazine and its publisher, Larry Flynt.
Also on this date:In 1803, in its landmark Marbury v. Madison decision, the U.S. Supreme Court established the foundational principle of judicial review of the constitutionality of laws and statutes.
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In 1868, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Andrew Johnson by a vote of 126-47 following his attempted dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton; Johnson was later acquitted by the Senate by a single vote.
In 1942, the SS Struma, a charter ship attempting to carry nearly 800 Jewish refugees from Romania to British-mandated Palestine, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine in the Black Sea; all but one of the refugees died.
In 1981, a jury in White Plains, New York, found Jean Harris guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of “Scarsdale Diet” author Dr. Herman Tarnower. (Sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, Harris was granted clemency by New York Gov. Mario Cuomo in December 1992.)
In 1991, the United States began ground operations in the Gulf War by entering Iraqi-held Kuwait.
In 2008, Cuba’s parliament named Raul Castro president, ending nearly 50 years of rule by his brother, Fidel, who announced days earlier that he would not seek reelection. Raul Castro served as president until April 2018.
In 2011, Discovery, the world’s most traveled spaceship, thundered into orbit for the final time, heading toward the International Space Station on a journey marking the beginning of the end of the shuttle era.
In 2020, Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in New York and was led off to prison in handcuffs in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement. An appeals court later threw out the verdict and ordered a new trial, but Weinstein remained behind bars after other convictions.
In 2022, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launching airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending troops and tanks from multiple directions.
Today’s birthdays:- Actor Dominic Chianese is 95.
- Nike co-founder Phil Knight is 88.
- Actor Barry Bostwick is 81.
- Actor Edward James Olmos is 79.
- Musician George Thorogood is 76.
- Baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Murray is 70.
- Actor Billy Zane is 60.
- Boxing Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is 49.
- Tennis Hall of Famer Lleyton Hewitt is 45.
- Actor Daniel Kaluuya is 37.
- Singer-songwriter Domenic Innarella is 15.
France ups the ante in the spat with US ambassador, says ministers will no longer meet him
By JOHN LEICESTER
PARIS (AP) — France’s spat with the U.S. ambassador to Paris took another turn Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top U.S. diplomat in France must respond to a summons and won’t have access to French government officials until he complies.
French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner — the father of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner — for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up.
Speaking Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the failure to attend the meeting as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Charles Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.
“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info.
He said that Kushner “is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job he needs access to members of the government. That’s the basics.”
“When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government,” the minister said.
The U.S. Embassy did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment on Monday and a follow-up request on Tuesday morning also got no immediate reply.
France’s foreign ministry had summoned Kushner over Trump administration tweets relating to the beating death in France of a far-right activist, Quentin Deranque. The 23-year-old student, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten by a group of people earlier this month in the city of Lyon, in fighting that erupted between far-left and far-right activists. He later died of brain injuries.
In a post last week on X, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”
The U.S. Embassy in Paris posted the same statement, in French.
Barrot said France needs to discuss the comments with Kushner.
“We must have an explanation with him,” Barrot said. “We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate.”
Man convicted of killing a grocery store owner set to be executed in Florida
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of killing a grocery store owner during a robbery is set Tuesday evening to become the second person executed in Florida this year.
Melvin Trotter, 65, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Trotter was initially convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1987. However, the Florida Supreme Court found the trial court had erred in handling aggravating factors in Trotter’s case and ordered a new sentencing, and Trotter again drew the death penalty in 1993.
Tuesday’s planned execution and another earlier this month in Florida follow a record 19 executions in the state last year. In 2025, Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in the U.S. in 1976. The previous Florida record was eight executions in 2014.
According to court records, Trotter strangled and stabbed Virgie Langford at her store in Palmetto in 1986. A truck driver found Langford alive after the attack, and she was able to describe her attacker before eventually dying at a hospital.
Besides recalling Trotter’s physical appearance, Langford said her attacker had a Tropicana employee badge with the name “Melvin” on it. According to court records, police later found a T-shirt with Langford’s blood type at Trotter’s home and the man’s handprint on a meat cooler at the grocery store.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Trotter. His attorneys had argued that Florida corrections officials had mismanaged its own death penalty protocols. Attorneys also argued that Trotter’s advanced age of 65 should exempt him from execution.
Trotter’s final appeals were still pending Tuesday before the U.S. Supreme Court.
A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis. Alabama, South Carolina and Texas tied for second with five executions each last year.
So far this year, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida have carried out one execution each.
On Feb. 10, a man convicted of killing a traveling salesperson who he and his brother had met at a bar become the first person executed in Florida this year. Ronald Palmer Heath, 64, was convicted of first-degree murder and other charges in the 1989 killing of Michael Sheridan.
Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for next month: Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on March 3, and Michael Lee King, 54, on March 17.
All Florida executions are carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
Mexican cartel clashes fuel worries in lead up to FIFA World Cup
By MEGAN JANETSKY
TAPALPA, Mexico (AP) — Maria Dolores Aguirre’s family corner store has lived off tourism that has flowed into her charming cobblestoned town of Tapalpa, tucked away in the mountains of Jalisco state.
That was until gunshots erupted and helicopters flew overhead as the Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful drug lord, just a few kilometers (miles) from her home.
Now, the 50-year-old Aguirre worries that the bloodshed will deal a blow to her livelihood and change towns like hers. It is something many in the western Mexican state are grappling with, from its Pacific Ocean beaches to its capital Guadalajara that will host matches in June for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“It’s going to affect us. It’s collateral damage,” Aguirre said. “The government is going to have to have a lot of security. … The entire world just saw what happened and, of course, people are going to think twice about coming.”
Fighting between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Mexican security forces raged on in a number of states Monday, fueling fears among many like Aguirre that there will be more violence to come.
More than 70 people died in the attempt to capture Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes and its aftermath, authorities said Monday. Known as “El Mencho,” he was the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico, known for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States and staging brazen attacks against Mexican government officials.
The White House confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence support to the operation to capture the cartel leader and applauded Mexico’s army for taking down a man who was one of the most wanted criminals in both countries. The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of “El Mencho.”
The death of Oseguera Cervantes came as Mexico’s government has stepped up its offensive against cartels in an effort to meet demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to crack down on criminal groups, threatening to impose more tariffs or take unilateral military action if the country does not show results.
Mexico hoped the death of one of the world’s biggest fentanyl traffickers would ease that pressure, but many people were anxious as they waited to see the powerful cartel’s reaction.
Oseguera Cervantes died after a shootout with the Mexican military on Sunday. Mexican Defense Secretary Gen. Ricardo Trevilla said Monday that authorities had tracked one of his romantic partners to his hideout in Tapalpa. The cartel leader and two bodyguards fled into a wooded area where they were seriously wounded in a firefight. They were taken into custody and died on the way to Mexico City, Trevilla said.
In the aftermath, a sense of unease simmered in tourist towns.
The Pacific Ocean resort city of Puerto Vallarta also was hard hit by cartel reprisals, frightening tourists.
Steve Perkins, 57, was visiting Puerto Vallarta with his wife Gayle and some friends. They were on their hotel room’s terrace when explosions and black smoke started appearing around the city Sunday morning.
Their return to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was delayed when their flight was canceled Monday and they were rebooked for March 1.
Perkins and his wife have been taking annual trips to Puerto Vallarta since 2012 and have always felt safe, until now. He said they don’t plan on returning to Mexico.
“There’s a lot of Americans trapped here,” Perkins said.
Back in Tapalpa, Aguirre worked next to her son from the small neighborhood shop her family has owned for 50 years. The 15-year-old’s classes were canceled due to the violence.
Aguirre said it was unclear who exactly was in control of the area surrounding her: the military or the cartel. The other question on her mind was if this was just a one-off, or if there was more violence to come.
“We don’t know if these people (cartel leaders) are permanently here or not,” she said. “If they really did kill this leader, it could be that they fight between each other to win control or see who will lead it.”
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AP writer Juan Lozano in Houston contributed to this report.
Trump’s State of the Union will seek to calm voters’ economic concerns ahead of midterm elections
By WILL WEISSERT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will use Tuesday’s State of the Union to champion his immigration crackdowns, his slashing of the federal government, his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down and his ability to direct quick-hit military actions around the world, including in Iran and Venezuela.
The Republican hopes he can convince increasingly wary Americans that his policies have improved their lives while ensuring that the U.S. economy is stronger than many believe — and that they should vote for more of the same in November.
The balancing act of celebrating his whirlwind first year back in the White House while making a convincing case for his party in midterm races where he personally won’t be on the ballot is a tall order for any president. But it could prove especially delicate for Trump, given how happy he is to veer off script and ignore carefully crafted messaging.
A main theme will be that the country is booming with a rise in domestic manufacturing and new jobs, despite many Americans not feeling that way. “It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” said Trump, who promised a heavy dose of talk about the economy.
The president is also expected to decry the Supreme Court ruling against his signature tariff policies and talk about his attempts to maneuver around that decision without depending on Congress or spooking financial markets. He’s also likely to urge lawmakers to increase military funding and tighten voter identification requirements, while defending immigration operations that have drawn bipartisan criticism following the shooting deaths of two American citizens.
Jeff Shesol, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Bill Clinton, said Trump has typically used State of the Union addresses to offer more conventional tones than his usual bombast — but he’s still apt to exaggerate repeatedly.
“His job, for the sake of his party, is to show the silver lining,” Shesol said. “But if he’s going to insist that the silver lining is gold, no one’s buying it. And it will be a very difficult position on the campaign trail for Republicans to defend.”
Michael Waldman, Clinton’s former chief speechwriter, said second-term presidents “have a tough job because what they all want to say is, ‘Hey, look what a great job I’ve been doing — why don’t you love me?’”
Affordability questions loom largeNo matter what his prepared remarks say, Trump relishes deviating into personal grievances, meaning Tuesday will probably feature topics like denying that he lost the 2020 presidential election.
His lack of messaging discipline has been on display after concerns about high costs of living helped propel Democratic wins around the country on Election Day last November. The White House subsequently promised that the president would travel the country nearly every week to reassure Americans he was taking affordability seriously. But Trump has spent more time blaming Democrats and scoffing at the notion that kitchen-table issues demand attention.
Trump instead boasts of having tamed inflation and says he has the economy humming given that the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently exceeded 50,000 points for the first time.
Such gains don’t feel tangible to those without stock portfolios, however. There also are persistent fears that tariffs stoked higher prices, which could eventually hurt the economy and job creation. Economic growth slowed the last three months of last year.
Waldman, now president of the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for democracy, civil liberties and fair elections, said previous presidents faced similar instances of “economic disquiet.”
That created a question of “how much do you sell vs. feeling the pain of the electorate,” he said.
Shesol noted that Trump has “always believed — going back to his real estate days — that he can sell anyone on anything.”
“He’s still doing that. But the problem is, you can’t tell somebody who has lost their job and can’t get a new one that things are going great,” Shesol said. “He can’t sell people on a reality that for them, and frankly for most Americans, does not exist.”
It is potentially politically perilous ahead of November elections that could deliver congressional wins to Democrats, just as 2018’s “blue wave” created a strong check to his administration during his first term.
Several Democrats in Congress, meanwhile, plan to skip Tuesday’s speech in protest, instead attending a rally known as the “People’s State of the Union” on Washington’s National Mall.
Foreign policy in focusTrump’s address comes as two U.S. aircraft carriers have been dispatched to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.
The president will recount how U.S. airstrikes last summer pounded Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, and laud the raid that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Nicolás Maduro, as well as his administration’s brokering of a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
But he also strained U.S. military alliances with NATO, thanks to his push to seize Greenland from Denmark and his failure to take a harder line with Russian President Vladimir Putin in seeking an end to its war in Ukraine.
Making any foreign policy feel relevant to Americans back home is never easy.
Jennifer Anju Grossman, a former speechwriter for Republican President George H.W. Bush and current CEO of the Atlas Society, which promotes the ideas of author and philosopher Ayn Rand, said Trump can make clear that Maduro’s socialist policies wrecked Venezuela’s economy to the point where one of the world’s richest oil countries struggled to meet its own energy needs.
Now, oil from that country will help lower American gas prices.
Still, when it comes to overseas developments, she said, “I think it’s going to be a bit of a challenge to make clear why this is relevant to the domestic situation.”
Utah judge is set to rule on disqualifying prosecutors in the Charlie Kirk case
By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge is expected to decide Tuesday whether to keep prosecutors on the murder case against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus.
Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
State District Judge Tony Graf has been weighing whether to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office from continuing to prosecute the case.
Robinson’s attorneys argue that Chad Grunander, a deputy county attorney working on the case, has a conflict of interest because his adult daughter was in the audience when Kirk was shot.
An estimated 3,000 people were at the outdoor rally to hear Kirk when he was struck while taking questions. A co-founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk helped mobilize young people to vote for President Donald Trump.
Grunander’s daughter, whose identity has not been disclosed to news media covering the case, testified in court that she did not record video of the shooting or the aftermath. She was looking at the crowd and did not learn until after she ran to safety that it was Kirk who had been shot, she told the court earlier this month.
Robinson’s attorneys also argue in court documents that prosecutors were quick to announce their intent to seek the death penalty, which they say is evidence of “strong emotional reactions” that merit disqualification of the entire team.
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray testified this month that he thought about seeking the death penalty before an arrest had been made in the case, and his colleague’s daughter in no way influenced the decision.
Graf could decide to keep prosecutors on the case, dismiss them all or dismiss only Grunander.
If Utah County prosecutors are disqualified, the case would likely shift to prosecutors in a county with enough resources to handle a big case, such as Salt Lake County, or possibly the state attorney general’s office, Utah Prosecution Council Director Robert Church has said.
The judge has been weighing other issues of fairness for Robinson, should he go to trial.
Full video recordings of Kirk’s shooting have not been shown in court after defense attorneys objected out of concern that the footage would undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
Defense attorneys also seek to keep TV cameras and photographers out of the courtroom, arguing that “highly biased” news outlets risk tainting the case. Prosecutors, attorneys for news organizations and Kirk’s widow have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.
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Associated Press writer Mead Gruver contributed from Fort Collins, Colorado.
Broadway blockbusters at Broward Center next season: ‘Death Becomes Her,’ ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘Hamilton’ & more
The next Broadway season in Fort Lauderdale will spotlight some of the The Great White Way’s hottest new musicals, plus the return of some fan favorites.
Shows taking center stage at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts include new national tours of “Death Becomes Her,” “The Outsiders” and “Buena Vista Social Club.”
Encore runs will include “Hamilton,” “Mamma Mia,” “Disney’s Beauty and The Beast,” “Six” and “The Notebook” (which will play West Palm Beach and Miami this spring).
Season tickets for the 2026-2027 six-show package are now on sale and range in price from $330 to $1,215. It includes five shows plus one additional Subscriber Choice.
• Week One subscribers will have “Buena Vista Social Club” as their default Subscriber Choice show.
• Week Two subscribers will have “The Notebook.”
• Subscribers may choose to change their Subscriber Choice show, or add additional tickets at a later date.
To obtain more details or purchase season tickets, go to BroadwayInFortLauderdale.com or BrowardCenter.org.
A breakdown of the upcoming seasonOct. 13-18, 2026 — ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ (Subscriber Choice)
Inspired by real events, “Buena Vista Social Club” spans the trajectory of a Cuban band from the 1950s through the 1990s, culminating in the groundbreaking/cultural bookmark 1997 album of the same name. After an extremely successful off-Broadway run (extended twice) in 2023, the show’s curtain got raised on Broadway in 2025. It went on to win five Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.
Matthew MurphyThe Broadway company of "Buena Vista Social Club." (Matthew Murphy/Courtesy)Nov. 10-22, 2026 — ‘Hamilton’
Winner of 11 Tony Awards, the show about founding father Alexander Hamilton started making headlines even before it debuted off-Broadway in February 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical’s creator, was still composing the score when he gave theater fans a sneak peek in May 2009 during a White House Poetry Jam, performing what would become the musical’s opening number to a transfixed first couple, Barack and Michelle Obama. The sung-through musical, with very little dialogue, went on to break box-office records when it moved to Broadway later that summer. Critics were rapturous about the show’s urban rhythms and multiracial casting (Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and even Hamilton’s killer, Aaron Burr, have been portrayed by actors of color), pumping up “Hamilton” until it became a pop culture phenomenon, winning the Pulitzer Prize for drama and a Grammy Award.
Joan MarcusThe national tour of "Hamilton." (Joan Marcus/Courtesy)Dec. 15-27, 2026 — ‘Death Becomes Her’
Based on the 1992 campy classic movie starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and Isabella Rossellini, the stage musical bowed on Broadway in 2024. Nominated for 10 Tony Awards, the show won Paul Tazewell the prize for Best Costume Design of a Musical. “Death Becomes Her” follows the beauty battle between two back-in-the-day besties — one a fading Broadway star, the other a frumpy novelist — who both end up drinking a beauty potion … with comedic/horror results.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMadeJennifer Simard, Megan Hilty and Christopher Sieber in the original Broadway cast of "Death Becomes Her." (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade/Courtesy)Feb. 2-14, 2027 — ‘Mamma Mia’
The chart-toppers of ABBA are front and center in this jukebox musical set on a sun-drenched Mediterranean resort island where the upcoming nuptials of a young couple set off a family farce. The score includes hits such as “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “SOS,” “The Winner Takes It All” and “Take a Chance on Me.”
Joan MarcusJalynn Steele (as Tanya), Christine Sherrill (Donna Sheridan) and Carly Sakolove (Rosie) in "Mamma Mia." (Joan Marcus/Courtesy)March 9-14, 2027 — ‘The Notebook’ (Subscriber Choice)
As in the 2004 hit movie with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, this stage version tells the story — through notebook passages read aloud in a nursing home — of Allie and Noah, a young couple who cross their class/background divide to find lasting love. Both the film and musical are based on the 1996 book of the same title. The show debuted on Broadway in March 2024 with a book by Bekah Brunstetter, who also served as a staff writer and supervising producer on the NBC series “This Is Us.”
Roger MastroianniThe North American tour company of "The Notebook." (Roger Mastroianni/Courtesy)April 6-18, 2027 — “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
The musical tells the story of Belle, a bit of an outcast in her small village, and the Beast, a prince who has been cursed by an enchantress to remain hideous until he can learn to love and be loved. As part of the spell, the prince’s staffers have also been changed into furniture and household objects. Belle is their last chance to become human again before the enchantment becomes permanent. “Beauty and the Beast” opened on Broadway in 1994 and was immediately a high-grossing hit (you might even say it was a beast at the box office). The show, which won a Tony Award for Best Costume Design, ran for 13 years, closing in 2007.
Matthew MurphyDanny Gardner, Kathy Voytko, Kevin Ligon, Cameron Monroe Thomas, Javier Ignacio and Holly Ann Butler as enchanted objects in "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast." (Matthew Murphy/Courtesy)May 5-16, 2027 — ‘The Outsiders’
Based on S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 cinematic take, this coming-of-age stage musical examines the friction between two gangs: The Greasers, working-class “outsiders,” and the Socs, upper-class “socialites.” The musical opened on Broadway in 2024 and won four Tony Awards, including for Best Musical.
Matthew MurphyNolan White and the cast of "The Outsiders." (Matthew Murphy/Courtesy)Feb. 23-28, 2027 — ‘Six’ (Season Option)
Staged as a pop music concert, this show tells the stories of King Henry VIII’s six wives. The show’s Great White Way debut had a stroke of terrible timing with opening night scheduled for March 12, 2020, the precise day all Broadway theaters were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that the musical, which reimagines Tudor queens as chart-topping pop princesses, eventually won raves from critics when the curtain finally went up on Oct. 3, 2021. The following year, the show won two Tony Awards: for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design of a Musical.
Joan MarcusHailey Alexis Lewis as Anna of Cleves in the North American Tour/Boleyn Company of the musical "Six." (Joan Marcus/Courtesy) Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMadeJennifer Simard and Christopher Sieber in the original Broadway cast of "Death Becomes Her." (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade/Courtesy) Matthew MurphyThe cast of the North American tour of "The Outsiders." (Matthew Murphy/Courtesy) Roger MastroianniAnother scene from "The Notebook." (Roger Mastroianni/Courtesy)Today in History: February 23, American speedskater first to win 5 gold medals in a single Olympics
Today is Monday, Feb. 23, the 54th day of 2026. There are 311 days left in the year.
Today in history:On Feb. 23, 1980, American Eric Heiden completed his sweep of the five men’s speed skating events at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, by winning the men’s 10,000-meter race in world record time; Heiden was the first athlete to win five gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.
Also on this date:In 1836, the siege of the Alamo by Mexican troops began in San Antonio, Texas. Almost all of the nearly 200 heavily outnumbered Texas defenders, including American frontiersman and politician Davy Crockett, were killed in the 13-day assault.
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In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an agreement with Cuba to lease land around Guantanamo Bay to the United States. No date was set for termination of the lease and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay continues at the site, along with a high-security detention complex for suspected terrorists.
In 1942, the first shelling of the U.S. mainland during World War II occurred as a Japanese submarine fired on an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.
In 1945, during World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised two American flags. (The second flag-raising was captured in an iconic photograph by Joe Rosenthal of The Associated Press.)
In 2011, in a major policy reversal, President Barack Obama’s administration said it would no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage.
In 2020, a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, was fatally shot while running in a coastal Georgia neighborhood after a white father and son armed themselves and pursued him. (Greg and Travis McMichael and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan subsequently drew life sentences for murder convictions and later were convicted of federal hate crimes.)
In 2021, golfer Tiger Woods was seriously injured when he crashed his SUV into a median and rolled over several times on a steep downhill road in suburban Los Angeles.
In 2023, a federal judge handed singer R. Kelly a 20-year prison sentence for his convictions that include producing child sexual abuse materials and federal sex trafficking charges., but said he would serve nearly all of the sentence simultaneously with a 30-year sentence imposed a year earlier on racketeering charges.
Today’s birthdays:- Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff is 83.
- Actor Patricia Richardson is 75.
- Singer Howard Jones is 71.
- Japanese Emperor Naruhito is 66.
- Actor Kristin Davis is 61.
- Business executive Michael Dell is 61.
- TV personality-business executive Daymond John is 57.
- Actor Niecy Nash is 56.
- Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland is 55.
- Country singer Steve Holy is 54.
- Actor Kelly Macdonald is 50.
- Rapper Residente, born René Juan Pérez Joglar, is 48.
- Actor Josh Gad is 45.
- Actor Emily Blunt is 43.
- Actor Aziz Ansari is 43.
- Actor Dakota Fanning is 32.
- Star guard Jamal Murray of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets is 29.
- Actor Emilia Jones is 24.
Morning Update: South Florida’s top stories for Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
Here are the top stories for Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get our free Morning Update email. Sign up here.
South Florida temperatures to plunge Sunday night. How long will the chill last?
Armed man shot and killed after entering secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service says
Broward revives free heart screening offer to thousands of residents
TSA says PreCheck still operational after previous announcement of suspension during funding fight
Legislation on Broward hospital districts would help patients most | Opinion
Stars and royals gather for the BAFTA film awards, with ‘One Battle’ and ‘Sinners’ leading the race
Hughes scores in overtime as US beats Canada for first men’s hockey gold at the Olympics since 1980
Asking Eric: Wife sidelined and shut out by late husband’s family
‘It is definitely the redneck Olympics.’ Florida Man Games crowns its champ
Pat Riley reflects on Showtime and its Heat impact as statue unveiled in Los Angeles
How Trump will use his State of the Union address to sell skeptical midterm voters on his plans
By JOSH BOAK and MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump ‘s State of the Union address on Tuesday is likely to be a test run of the message that Republicans will give to voters in November’s elections for control of the House and Senate.
The president and his party appear vulnerable, with polls showing that much of America distrusts how Trump has managed the government in his first year back in office. In addition, the Supreme Court last week struck down one of the chief levers of his economic and foreign policy by ruling that he lacked the power to impose many of his sweeping tariffs.
Though Trump is expected to focus on domestic issues, his intensifying threats that he may launch military strikes on Iran over its nuclear program are casting a shadow over the address.
Here are a few things to watch as Trump tries to make his case:
The economy and immigration are no longer strengths for TrumpTrump swept back into the White House on promises to bring down prices and restore order to immigration in America. But on both issues, public sentiment has turned against him.
Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of his economic leadership and just 38% support him on immigration, according to the latest AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs survey. Those low numbers show the country is still fretting about the costs of groceries, housing and utilities, a problem compounded by Trump’s whipsawing use of tariffs. They also show how the public was disturbed by videos of violent clashes with protesters, including two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents.
Since his party passed a massive tax cut bill last year, Trump has yet to unveil major new policy ideas on the economy. In recent speeches, he has largely offered the public reruns about his tax cuts, plans to reduce mortgage rates and a new government website for buying prescription drugs.
The Supreme Court ruling against many of Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs on Friday and the president vowing to use other means to forge ahead with import taxes will only prolong the economic turmoil over trade and prices.
“I think it makes it even more important that the speech really focus on the economy,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist.
Conant said between the tariff ruling and a Commerce Department report on Friday that showed U.S. economic growth slowed in the final three months of last year, “the president needs to bolster his economic message.”
Blame everything on Joe BidenThe administration is trying to make the case that despite Trump’s rewiring of global trade and tax cuts, the economy is still struggling because of choices made in 2021 and 2022 by his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. But Trump is also seeking to take credit for positive signs in the current economy, such as recent stock market gains.
“Watch the State of the Union. We’re going to be talking about the economy. We inherited a mess,” Trump said at the White House on Wednesday.
Of course, Trump made the same kind of argument in his address to a joint session of Congress last year, invoking the name “Biden” 13 times.
Trump’s focus on foreign policy has yet to resonate politicallyDespite the president’s America First credo, his aggressive approach abroad over the past year has sparked concerns among some of his supporters about whether he should spend more time focusing on voters at home.
Trump, who has made it clear he covets a Nobel Peace Prize, is likely to use the speech to remind Americans of his attempts to try to broker peace accords in global conflicts.
But in many respects, the president hasn’t been extending olive branches. Within the past year, his administration has launched strikes in Yemen, Nigeria and Iran, along with an ongoing campaign of lethal military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels near South America. Trump also shocked the world in January with a surprise raid to capture Venezuela’s then-leader, Nicolás Maduro, and floated the idea of using force to seize Greenland.
In recent weeks, as he pressures Iran, Trump has bolstered the U.S. military’s presence in the Middle East. But he has yet to make a clear case to voters about what his actions overseas mean for their lives.
He might even minimize foreign policy in his State of the Union despite his belief that it’s been a major success.
“For as much as foreign policy has dominated his last year in office, this speech will mostly focus on the economy,” Conant predicted.
Vice President JD Vance offered a similar prediction, saying in an interview Saturday on Fox News Channel that in the speech, “you’re going to hear a lot about the importance of bringing jobs back into our country, of reshoring manufacturing, of all these great factories that are being built.”
He said Trump would also speak about lowering energy costs.
Trump has made the State of the Union his ownThe State of the Union used to be about recapping accomplishments and seeking to unite the country, but it increasingly reflects divisions in society.
“What you’re going to expect is some version of a campaign speech in which the Democrats are the villains, the Republicans he likes are the heroes, and he is the savior not only of the nation but of the globe,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Trump supporters might cherish the moment in 2020 when the president mid-speech reunited a military family. He also bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio host and author who died in 2021 due to complications from lung cancer. But that moment turned off Democrats who saw Limbaugh as a destructive figure in political media.
The reaction in the room could matter as much as Trump’s wordsTrump is delivering the speech, but his audience sitting in the House chamber has a big role, too. When Trump delivered his 2020 State of the Union, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi theatrically ripped up a copy of the speech afterward, overshadowing much of what Trump said.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York has said in a letter to colleagues that “it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber,” indicating that some members might choose not to attend in protest to Trump. But there is also the possibility of Democrats razzing Trump as Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, did in 2025, leading him to be removed from the chamber.
If Trump in his speech lays out a fuller case for why he is using other mechanisms in federal law to continue his tariffs, Conant said it will be interesting to see the reaction from lawmakers.
“I think that any House Republicans that don’t applaud his tariffs are going to be featured prominently on the telecast,” he said.
State of the Unions have short shelf livesWhile some presidential phrases endure, much of the rhetoric in State of the Unions is forgettable. And with Trump — who is known for veering off-script — there’s a good chance that a stray comment or a social media post could step on his message.
Matt Latimer, a former Republican speechwriter for then-President George W. Bush, noted in an email that people hear the president talk all of the time, so the State of the Union has lost much of its luster.
A State of the Union “only matters in moments when the country is undergoing a great trauma — a war, an attack, a global crisis — and a president and Congress want to speak in a (mostly) united voice to the country,” he said. “That’s not what we are experiencing now.”
Mexico fears more violence after army kills leader of powerful Jalisco cartel
By MEGAN JANETSKY and FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — School was canceled in several Mexican states and local and foreign governments alike warned their citizens to stay inside, as widespread violence erupted following the army’s killing of the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho” was the boss of one of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico, notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States and staging brazen attacks against government officials who challenged it.
He was killed during a shoot-out in his home state of Jalisco as the Mexican military attempted to capture him. Cartel members responded with violence across the country, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles.
President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm and authorities announced late Sunday they had cleared most of the more than 250 cartel roadblocks across 20 states. The White House confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence support to the operation to capture the cartel leader and applauded Mexico’s army for taking down a man who was one of the most wanted criminals in both countries.
Mexico hoped the death of the world’s biggest fentanyl traffickers would ease Trump administration pressure to do more against the cartels, but many remained hunkered down and on edge as they waited to see the powerful cartel’s reaction.
Many fear more violenceGuadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state and Mexico’s second-largest city, was almost completely shut down on Sunday as fearful residents stayed home.
Passengers arriving to the city’s international airport Sunday night were told it was operating with limited personnel because of the burst of violence.
Jacinta Murcia, a 64-year-old nutrition products vendor, was among those nervously walking late Sunday night through the airport, where earlier in the day travelers sprinted and ducked behind chairs fearing violence. Most flights into the city were suspended on Sunday.
Murcia anxiously scrolled through news stories on social media showing the face of “El Mencho” and sent messages to her children, who were tracking her location as she tried to travel across the city to her house after dark.
“My plan today leaving the airport is to see if there are any taxis, but I’m scared of everything. That there are blockades, that there’s a curfew, that something could happen,” she said. “I’m all alone.”
Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato reported at least 14 other people killed Sunday, including seven National Guard troops.
Videos circulating on social media showed tourists in Puerto Vallarta walking on the beach with smoke rising in the distance.
In another part of the airport a group of elderly Mexicans gathered, discussing how to get home.
“We better all go together,” one said. “Go with God.”
A blow against a cartel could be a diplomatic coupDavid Mora, Mexico analyst for International Crisis Group, said the capture and outburst of violence marks a point of inflection in Sheinbaum’s push to crack down on cartels and relieve U.S. pressures.
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Mexico do more to fight the smuggling of the often-deadly drug fentanyl, threatening to impose more tariffs or take unilateral military action if the country does not show results.
There were early signs that Mexico’s efforts were well received by the United States.
U.S. Amb. Ron Johnson recognized the success of the Mexican armed forces and their sacrifice in a statement late Sunday. He added that “under the leadership of President Trump and President Sheinbaum, bilateral cooperation has reached unprecedented levels.”
But it may also pave the way for more violence as rival criminal groups take advantage of the blow dealt to the CJNG, Mora said.
“This might be a moment in which those other groups see that the cartel is weakened and want to seize the opportunity for them to expand control and to gain control over Cartel Jalisco in those states,” he said.
“Ever since President Sheinbaum has been in power, the army has been way more confrontational, combative against criminal groups in Mexico,” Mora said. “This is signaling to the U.S. that if we keep cooperating, sharing intelligence, Mexico can do it, we don’t need U.S. troops on Mexican soil.”
‘El Mencho’ was a major targetOseguera Cervantes, who was wounded in the operation to capture him Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara, died while being flown to Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a statement.
During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were wounded and later died, the statement said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said via X that the U.S. government provided intelligence support for the operation. “‘El Mencho’ was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland,” she wrote. She commended Mexico’s military for its work.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fastest growing criminal organizations in Mexico and began operating around 2009.
In February 2025, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
Sheinbaum has criticized the “kingpin” strategy of previous administrations that took out cartel leaders, only to trigger explosions of violence as cartels fractured. While she has remained popular in Mexico, security is a persistent concern and since U.S. President Donald Trump took office a year ago, she has been under tremendous pressure to show results against drug trafficking.
The Jalisco cartel has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military — including on helicopters — and is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the capital’s police force and now federal security secretary.
___
Sánchez reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writer María Verza contributed to this report.
Daily Horoscope for February 23, 2026
We can step up to handle uncertain schedules. As the Moon conjoins unanticipated Uranus in unshakable Taurus, we’re braced to renegotiate matters involving money and comfort. Bending may be necessary to avoid breaking. When others prove unreliable, it won’t knock us down for long. We’ll take breaks as needed, then make adjustments to increase collaboration and decrease conflict. Thankfully, at 9:28 pm EST, the emotional Moon enters curious Gemini, and conversation becomes a bridge as questions open options and humor eases leftover tension.
AriesMarch 21 – April 19
Your words set an energizing tone. Conversations speed up as the Moon slides into your 3rd House of Signals, allowing you to find more success when you talk things out. Go ahead and make that call, invite that friend over, or initiate that conversation. Action is the best way to banish anxiety. If a neighbor or an acquaintance misses a meet-up, give them the benefit of the doubt, but don’t let them delay your entire day. You can move on without condemning accidental timing mistakes.
TaurusApril 20 – May 20
Stay on your toes, Taurus! The temperamental Moon and radical Uranus are embracing in your loyal sign, inviting you to dance to your own tune. You don’t have to make any drastic changes (unless you feel called to do so), but you shouldn’t feel bound to tradition. Make a point of tweaking something small to wake up your system. Little changes are a great way to refresh your soul. Plus, if something outside of your control shifts, you’ll be readier to take on any surprises.
GeminiMay 21 – June 20
This evening feels clearer than the afternoon. The emotional Moon enters your sign, so your voice gains volume (metaphorically — there’s no need to yell) as you gather ideas and ask questions. Start with a light task, something that should be an easy win. Early successes bolster you to put in more effort going forward. The main danger is overcomplication, so do your best to make a simple, sensible plan. Then all you’ll have to do is share it with your teammates!
CancerJune 21 – July 22
Gentle changes ripple through your circles. The nurturing Moon in your 11th House of Charity uplifts rebellious Uranus, potentially sparking surprising invites or plan shifts. Your protective heart may brace for discomfort, but don’t fret! Instead of spiraling, send a text message to a loved one — it could be anything, from a get-together invitation to a funny meme. If a friend cancels or a team changes venues, respond with alternate options rather than vague guilt. Connection thrives when everyone tries to meet halfway.
LeoJuly 23 – August 22
Unpredictable events could actually have a positive impact. Public plans may shift when the Moon supports Uranus in your 10th House of Recognition. You might need to adapt to some sudden timing changes, but doing so gives you a chance to reach even greater heights of success. As long as you prepare in advance, you can stand against mighty storms. Just repeat what you’re certain of, confirm with your allies, then keep moving forward. Your steady confidence should earn lasting trust.
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22
Virgo, your calm leadership steadies big goals. Your 10th House of Bold Moves gains focus as the intuitive Moon enters, ensuring your practical mind spots the next improvement that makes work run smoothly. Start by clarifying a deliverable and confirming who needs it, because clear expectations reduce busywork and help everyone focus. Shifting deadlines or overly long debates can’t keep you down! You’re setting aside unnecessary complications in favor of a genuinely doable plan. Simplify steps ASAP to construct reliable, satisfying progress.
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22
The horizon holds even more enticing mysteries than usual. With Luna flying into your ever-curious 9th house, you’re being energized to look beyond what you already know. Step back from the exact issue at hand, then let that wider viewpoint shape your next steps. You could also find wisdom by making thoughtful inquiries with knowledgeable peers or mentors. Even if things don’t go exactly as planned, you’re braced to make any necessary adjustments without faltering. Perspective expands your choices and strengthens your soul.
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21
Intensity relaxes as agreements take shape. The unconscious Moon is in your 7th House of Bonding alongside unconventional Uranus, and their conjunction could signal upcoming shifts in schedules, needs, or expectations. If you’re at all worried about uncertain ground, talk about it today. Whatever your relationship status, clarity about shared hopes or dreams would be valuable. Ask what the other person truly needs, then say what you’re capable of offering in turn. Name your needs without fear to deepen healthy trust.
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21
Constructive conversations can reshape your essential partnerships. Your connected 7th house welcomes in the Moon, which turns your attention to the agreements and care between you and the people who matter most. In any close bond, clear words help both sides understand needs and reduce defensive guesses, especially when choices feel time-sensitive. Watch out for anyone who presses too hard for speedy answers — even if they mean well, that’s no way to forge alliances. Don’t rush into anything! Your relationships are your business.
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19
This is a safe day to play! Impish courage abounds as the Moon dances with Uranus in your 5th House of Leisure, pouring inspiration into your mind. You might listen to your favorite music and draw something inspired by it, or go and see a play with friends who’ll happily discuss it afterwards. If a child or collaborator changes the plan, keep it light, name what you want to get out of the experience, then let it flow naturally. Set loose guardrails for sustainable joy.
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 18
Home may not be particularly peaceful at the moment. With the Moon-Uranus conjunction in your 4th House of the Hearth, though, you may be the source of that chaos! Fortunately, it should be the fun kind of busy. Your sign’s characteristic inventiveness thrives here, so you might be inspired to start DIY projects or rearrange your cupboards. If someone else at home feels rattled, hear them out — their critiques could make your ideas even better. Working together should quickly settle any concerns.
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20
Peace is most possible within your own four walls at present. As Luna meanders into your cozy 4th house, you’ll probably start craving some quiet time at home. When sharing your space, spending some time doing chill activities with your housemates would be a good idea. Live alone? You can recharge with a warm beverage (or whatever suits your fancy). Though painful memories could intrude, you’ll set yourself up for success by ensuring you have a safe space to sit with them.
Pat Riley reflects on Showtime and its Heat impact as statue unveiled in Los Angeles
For Pat Riley, it was Showtime again on Sunday in Los Angeles. This time his own showtime, with his statue unveiled in front of the Lakers’ Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
On an afternoon of celebrity that included actor Michael Douglas and singer Michael McDonald among those in attendance, Riley not only had those who were part of his Lakers’ 1980s championship coaching tenure in attendance, but also several from his Heat era, including Heat championship guard Dwyane Wade and Heat owner Micky Arison.
Riley intertwined several elements of his Hall of Fame coaching career into his speech, at one point thanking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but then also referencing how the lessons learned from his coaching tenure helped in guiding others, including Wade.
“To Dwyane Wade, not of the Lakers, but I put the DNA of the Lakers in him,” Riley said in his comments. “You know, it just sort of comes with the program. And he came in as a rookie. He was raw. He was great. He was gifted. He was talented. He was cocky. He was true of himself. And I never saw a young man work harder than Dwyane Wade to become one of the greatest players ever.”
Riley also spoke of how the trappings of that coaching start near Hollywood impacted who he has become and what he has become decades later.
“We’ve been fast friends for a long time,” he said of Douglas. “When he did invite me and (wife) Chris to come to Monaco and then also to Nice when he was shooting that movie, he had a rap party up in Venice and Kathleen Turner happened to be the actress in that movie. And he was playing along with Danny DeVito in that movie. And so during the rap party, I went over and I sat down in front of Danny DeVito and Mike, just to chat and have some fun.”
And of McDonald, Riley said, “I regularly go back and I can recall each championship in the one moment, the one play, the one shot, the one anything. I just remember that. And usually when I listen to the music, you know, of that time, Michael McDonald is here today. He married Chris and I again. He renewed our vows in Hawaii.”
Congrats, Pat!!!
32nd annual Lake Worth Beach Street Painting Festival | PHOTOS
The Lake Worth Beach Street Painting Festival returned for its 32nd year, transforming the asphalt of Lake and Lucerne Avenues into a massive outdoor gallery. The 2026 event featured more than 800 artists, including a record 55 featured professionals from across the country alongside hundreds of local students and organizations. This photo gallery captures the intricate chalk masterpieces and the crowds that gathered in downtown Lake Worth Beach for the final day of the two-day celebration of art and music.
As Dolphins scout draft prospects at combine, answers on offseason should come this week
As the Miami Dolphins’ new regime of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley will be building their roster through the draft, that process comes to the forefront in the next week.
The team takes to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine, Sullivan and Hafley’s opportunity to evaluate draft prospects through drills, testing and interviews in one centralized location.
All the while, some solid answers on how this duo will operate in its first offseason leading Miami may come to light.
Both Sullivan and Hafley are scheduled to field questions in the news conference setting for the first time since they were introduced as the Dolphins’ new power tandem Jan. 22.
What resolution will they find with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his behemoth of a contract?
Do they see players like running back De’Von Achane, center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks as foundational building blocks worthy of contract extensions?
After wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and offensive guard James Daniels were already released and Bradley Chubb has been informed he’ll be released, are other veterans either on the trade block or bound to be cut?
What are the qualities they look for in members of their first draft class, who will be instrumental in establishing a new culture?
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Sullivan steered clear of answering specifically on roster matters, such as the Tagovailoa question, during his introduction last month.
The widespread belief is the Dolphins will seek a trade partner for Tagovailoa, likely taking on a large chunk of the $54 million he is guaranteed in 2026. Cutting the former franchise quarterback under former GM Chris Grier and ex-coach Mike McDaniel would cost Miami a record-breaking $99.2 million dead cap hit, which can be spread over two seasons if he’s designated a post-June 1 release.
After the week at the combine, there’s another week on the NFL calendar before free agency begins March 9 at 12 p.m., ahead of the official start of the new league year March 11 at 4 p.m.
With the Dolphins a team in need of a quarterback, the duo of Sullivan and Hafley also has previous ties to the biggest free agent at the position, Malik Willis of the Green Bay Packers. Will Sullivan tip his hand on a potential plan of pursuit for Willis, Jordan Love’s backup for the Packers who is expected to carry an expensive price tag for a team looking for its next starter?
They are not expected to be aggressive for high-priced veteran free agents while building through the draft in the early years of their tenure together.
Sullivan and Hafley inherit rising second-year quarterback Quinn Ewers, who started the final three games of the 2025 season after Tagovailoa was benched. Miami’s new GM may share an opinion on him this week, as it’s known one thing he does want at the quarterback position is competition for the job. It helps Ewers that Hafley, who has a defensive coaching background, wants to keep the same offensive system that was in place under McDaniel and not only retained Bobby Slowik from the previous coaching staff but promoted him to offensive coordinator.
When it comes to the coming late April draft and scouting prospects this week at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Convention Center, a Miami team in the midst of a roster overhaul practically has needs at all positions.
As Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, widely viewed as the draft’s second-best quarterback behind Miami product and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, will throw at the combine, the Dolphins will likely do their due diligence in scouting him.
That doesn’t mean they need to or should be married to the idea of drafting a quarterback in the first round. They could go the route of building a roster so, when the long-term solution behind center presents itself, the team is ready to facilitate the game for the player. And maybe competition for Ewers comes in finding another passer in the mid-to-late rounds, or a bridge veteran.
The Dolphins will need to bring in young talent at other premium positions like cornerback, edge rusher and wide receiver. What type of players Hafley and new defensive coordinator Sean Duggan want on the edge is to be determined. They used many four-man defensive fronts in Green Bay, so they may need an infusion of 4-3 defensive ends and outside linebackers instead of players that fit the 3-4 formation.
The trenches on both sides of the ball will surely be important to new management. The previous regime had invested its first two picks of the past two drafts to either offensive lineman (second-round tackle Patrick Paul in 2024 and second-round guard Jonah Savaiinaea in 2025) or the defensive front (first-round picks for defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and outside linebacker Chop Robinson in 2025 and 2024, respectively). Sullivan will likely look for more to supplement them and two other defensive tackles the Dolphins had as rookies last season — Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers.
Tight ends, safeties and possibly running backs, if Sullivan and Hafley don’t wish to spend to keep Achane around as he goes into the final year of his rookie contract, are also in play.
This new Dolphins front office, coaching staff, and scouting department will have no shortage of prospects to evaluate over the coming week at the combine.



