South Florida Local News

General Daily Insight for August 25, 2025

Finding balance is something we can presently handle. The impressionable Moon passes into levelheaded Libra, encouraging us to read the room and reflect before we act. Pleasure planet Venus then enters flamboyant Leo at 12:27 pm EDT, bringing our passions close to the surface. However, Venus goes on to trine disciplined Saturn, keeping any party from getting too wild. We shouldn’t have to choose between feeling good and making progress toward our goals — it’s possible to have some of both under current conditions!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Showing the world your serious face could seem necessary at present. However, that’s not all there is to you! As sensual Venus enters your playful 5th house, you probably like to have fun too! It’s normal for different people in your life to bring out different sides of you, but try to avoid blaming anyone else for “making” you goof off. The desire is definitely yours, so you might as well accept that you can work hard and also play hard.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

You may currently face the prospect of spending time alone under circumstances you didn’t choose. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean you’re required to be miserable every minute of this situation. As artistic Venus slips into your domestic sector, you have an opportunity to throw yourself into adding beauty to your home environment. When you make your personal space as comfortable and attractive as possible, you’re less likely to feel trapped in it. This sort of effort isn’t frivolous — it’s very good for you!

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Expressing appreciation for the friends you count on could be especially rewarding for everyone involved at this time. With graceful Venus gliding into your 3rd House of Communication, you’re in an ideal position to put warm sentiments into words. Take any opportunity to let your companions know in no uncertain terms that they’ve made a positive impact on your life. Whether or not anyone reciprocates with a similar comment about you, you can’t go wrong putting positivity like this into the world!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Your disciplined approach to achieving a goal may be about to pay off. As money planet Venus powers into your 2nd House of Resources, you might see at least a preliminary financial reward that lets you know you’re on the right track. This should assuage any anxieties about the wisdom of your course of action. If you notice other emotions coming up once that basic concern is addressed, be sure to hear them out — they can guide your next steps.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Finding your place in the world could seem challenging at the moment. Maybe you’re not the most well-traveled or highly educated person in your social milieu — and maybe that’s not a bad thing! If you’re secure in who you are and what you know, that confidence is probably appealing to others than you imagine (especially with attractive Venus sashaying into your sign). Just make an effort to be aware of any genuine limits to your expertise, and don’t try to hide them.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

There’s potentially something you must keep to yourself regarding a current relationship of yours. As enticing Venus enters your 12th House of Secrets, perhaps a little privacy makes whatever you’re doing more enjoyable. That said, it’s worth your time to get clear on whether you’re living in line with your values. Thoughtful discernment concerning what you reveal to the world is fine, but hiding because you feel bad about your activities may be a sign that you need to correct your course.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Meeting new people could go well for you now. As novelty-seeking Venus in your 11th House of Community aligns with stable Saturn in your relationship zone, someone you’ve known for a long time may introduce you to others in their network. Instead of trying to figure out what these individuals want to hear so you can tell them that, go for a candid and genuine approach. If you end up not aligning with each other, it’s better to know sooner than later!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

The hard work you’ve been putting in could be recognized at this time. As favorable Venus ascends to your 10th House of Reputation, receiving positive attention from others might motivate you to keep going with tasks that are often tedious or frustrating in the moment. Remember that what you think about the whole situation matters too. Try to identify any parts of your duties that you secretly enjoy. The spotlight won’t always be on you, so you must have your own reasons to continue.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Identifying what would make you feel good might be a challenge today. Perhaps you’re simply in a serious and somber mood. With fortunate Venus sneaking into your 9th House of Higher Learning, a subject you start reading up on could eventually capture your interest, even if it doesn’t seem that compelling initially. Maybe you’ll have to apply extra intellectual effort to understand the basic idea. Don’t push too hard for a quick connection — let genuine enjoyment sneak up on you over time.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

An insecurity developed in your formative years may now come up for review. While healing Venus in your intimacy zone supports anxious Saturn in your 4th House of Roots, opening up to someone currently in your life about this fear might provide the perspective you need. Times have potentially changed since a distressing or intense event that shaped you took place. Whoever was in charge at that point probably isn’t running things today — take the opportunity to chart your own course!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Allowing a conversation to unfold at its own pace could be crucial today. As amiable Venus in your relationship sector engages with shy Saturn in your 3rd House of Communication, you might worry that you’re not saying enough to keep things moving. Trying to plan the whole discussion out in advance probably won’t bring you the best possible results, though. Your companion may be coming from a totally different perspective — give them a chance to share their point of view.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Seeing what you’re capable of doing all by yourself may surprise you today. While helpful Venus in your practical 6th house collaborates with nervous Saturn in your finance zone, your initial motivation for sharpening your skills instead of hiring a professional might be a desire to save money. Once you throw yourself into your task, though, the greater benefit could be having the opportunity to make the result look just the way you want it (and have fun in the process). Trust your instincts!

Mario Chalmers collected another championship moment and made former Miami Heat teammate Michael Beasley a champion in the process in sparking Miami 305 to the Big3 championship Sunday in Orlando.

Off an assist from Beasley, Chalmers drained the game-winning 3-pointer to decide the 52-48 victory over the Chicago Triplets in the title game of the halfcourt three-on-three league.

For Chalmers, a member of the Heat’s championship teams in 2012 and ’13 alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, it gave him a championship on five different levels.

Heat legend Mario Chalmers clutches up for Miami 305

A  Florida Department of Transportation crew early Sunday painted the Pulse crosswalk back to black and white for a second time as supporters continued to try to restore the rainbow-colored crossing. Now, police agencies are monitoring the site.

Spectrum News 13, the Orlando Sentinel’s news partner, reported that the DOT repainted the crosswalk on Esther Street at South Orange Avenue after colored paint was used on the crossing on Saturday. Previously, supporters had been using chalk to draw back the rainbow colors, but rain washed that away.

A squad of Florida Highway Patrol and Orlando Police Department officers surveilled the dozen people who were using chalk on the rainbow crosswalk on Sunday. Advocates said it was an intimidation tactic.

Last week saw hundreds gather to repaint the rainbow crosswalk in chalk after state transportation officials removed it in the middle of the night without warning. The crosswalk was part of the state’s most significant sites for the LGBTQ community after the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting that killed 49. Despite pointed rhetoric about “political” rainbow crosswalks from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as a state ban on rainbow lights on bridges earlier this year, the Florida Department of Transportation said it was purely procedural.

Demonstrators began around 9 a.m. Sunday, through sprinkles of rain that washed away the chalk, to color the crosswalk and cover the sidewalk in drawings and phrases like “FHP go away”. By Sunday afternoon roughly four FHP trooper vehicles and three OPD cars were parked at the Dunkin Donuts next to the crosswalk. OPD told the group they could not impede traffic or they would risk arrest. Despite the threat, the group continued to use chalk on the crosswalk while FHP and OPD vehicles drove in and out keeping watch.

“It’s silly,” said State Rep. Anna Eskamani, who was at the crosswalk in support. “The amount of money and time being spent by the state on a crosswalk when there’s so many better uses for it to fix potholes for example.”

Eskamani said she wasn’t intimidated and argued the state was making it political. She has received dozens of boxes of chalk in the mail from around the world in support and people on vacation from other states have stopped by to help, she said.

“You’re creating controversy over a sidewalk,” Eskamani said. “No one cared about it before you made it a deal.”

For 34-year-old Robby Dodd this was personal. Dodd lost many friends during the 2016 shooting at Pulse. On Sunday he was at the site around 9 a.m. with a $25 box of 160 rainbow colored chalk from Amazon. He said FHP and OPD’s presence is “ridiculous”.

“It feels weird because there could be anything else they could be doing right now other than watching us color,” Dodd said. “I mean it’s chalk, it’ll wash away and we understand that too but meanwhile taxpayer dollars are putting state troopers and OPD out here.”

Dodd said he will keep coming back to repaint the crosswalk for the memory of his friends.

“This was kind of our second home in a way,” Dodd said “There’s no reason to take that crosswalk away, it was part of the memorial, other than political reasons.”

Orlando isn’t the only target in the state. On Friday the state ordered Fort Lauderdale to remove the section of a street near the beach painted in the colors of the LGBTQ+ progress pride flag, a location near what is widely known as the unofficial LGBTQ+ section of Fort Lauderdale beach.

Eskamani said the community will fight back and she hopes local leaders and local businesses will too.

“I want to see our local governments fight back,” Eskamani said. “I think that there’s plenty of opportunities to challenge some of these actions coming out of the state in court.”

By JONATHAN J. COOPER, LEAH ASKARINAM and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a directive issued late last week by his defense secretary.

A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.

An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.

A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military’s rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington’s residents.

The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.

Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now patrolling the district’s streets, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.

The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago and New York.

Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump’s unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made in Los Angeles over the objections of California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

“Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing,” Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”

Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance” about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore’s violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to city data. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.

“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I’m spending my time talking about the people I serve.”

Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.

In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.

Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely his next targets, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.

Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to Trump’s earlier comments discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.

“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with Black mayors and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard’s presence in the nation’s capital was not about crime: “This is about profiling us.”

“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. “Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is no emergency warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.

“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker wrote on X. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn’t need “a military occupation” and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.

“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant,” Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”

___

Cooper reported from Phoenix.

MIAMI GARDENS — Training camp and preseason games are finished for the Miami Dolphins. The next key date is Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline to cut the roster from 90 players to 53 players. And then comes the Sept. 7 season opener at Indianapolis.

Between the time training camp opened on July 22 and now, we learned a lot about this team, which has an over/under win total of 8.5 according to many Las Vegas oddsmakers.

There were injuries, good performances, bad performances, uneven performances, challenges to the Dolphins’ toughness and philosophy.

Here’s a wrap up of what we learned about the Dolphins during training camp.

Top performers of camp: Left tackle Patrick Paul might have been training camp’s Most Outstanding Player, meaning the best performer, as opposed to Most Valuable Player, meaning, for this purpose, the most key/needed performer. Among other top performers were inside linebacker Willie Gay Jr., wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, edge rushers Chop Robinson and Derrick McLendon, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Malik Washington and center Aaron Brewer.

Defensive front seven are monsters: Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has done such a good job with the front seven that they could be a top five crew in the league. They’re playmakers against the run and pass. They make life easier for the offense and the secondary, and it’s tough to say which is the biggest benefactor.

The top players on the front seven are tackles Zach Sieler, Benito Jones and Kenneth Grant, the rookie first-round pick, edge rushers Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson, and inside linebackers Gay, Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, and K.J. Britt.

These guys are difference-makers. General manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel also get credit here.

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Coaching/front office are in question: McDaniel and Grier enter their fourth season as a duo with a frustrated but optimistic fanbase. The biggest changes to the roster — Grier famously said they’d “invest” in the offensive line and McDaniel said backup quarterback Zach Wilson was a “direct, calculated target” — are still leaving fans wanting. 

The starting offensive line of center Brewer, left guard Jonah Savaiianea, right guard James Daniels, left tackle Paul and right tackle Austin Jackson seems solid. The backup offensive line is talent deficient.

The backup quarterback position is about the same as the backup offensive line from the standpoint that the starter, Tagovailoa, is good, but the reserves, Wilson and No. 3 Quinn Ewers are, well, less than good.

These were the pet projects of Grier and McDaniel in the offseason. The reserves at offensive line and backup quarterback, keys to the Dolphins’ mediocre performances of the past few years, might not be significantly improved.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down Miami’s victory in final preseason game

New strategy/philosophy will take time: The Dolphins are flipping their roster as they go from “win now,” which featured a reliance on numerous 30-somethings, to trying to win with youth and draftees, which features a reliance on younger players. This won’t be a one-year fix, which brings into question whether Grier and McDaniel, who have a two-year regular season record of 28-23 (.549), and an 0-2 playoff record, can survive the turnaround.

Special teams are better: Special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, in his first season with the Dolphins, tightened up this unit to the point where they were noticeably improved during training camp. It doesn’t matter whether it was kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return, field goals or extra points, these guys were on the job. 

Injuries remain a major concern: This hits both starters and reserves. Training camp saw injuries eliminate or slow key players such as slot/nickel cornerback Kader Kohou (knee), wide receiver Tyreek Hill (right wrist surgery and oblique), right tackle Jackson (left foot/leg), running back De’Von Achane (calf), backup center-guard Liam Eichenberg (leg), backup center Andrew Meyer (unknown) and a few others.   

Aggression/toughness are better but not good: The Dolphins, who relied on speed and finesse in previous years, are a tougher team but no one would consider them a tough team, if that makes sense. This is a process. The Dolphins are taking steps toward having tougher, more aggressive players and playing a tougher, more aggressive style. But such as it is with flipping the roster to younger players, this isn’t a one-year fix. More is needed.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Cutdown-day surprises? | VIDEO

How the Dolphins will win: Most likely the Dolphins will again rely on a high-scoring offense led by a deep passing game that’s fueled by the trio of Tagovailoa, Hill and Waddle. The defensive front seven should play a larger role in winning than in past seasons under McDaniel.

Cornerback is the No. 1 weakness of the team however, and it could cause them to lose games. It’s unclear whether the Dolphins will have a physical run game.

At this point it appears speed and finesse will again be the dominant traits of this team although perhaps not as much as in previous years of the McDaniel era.

By HILLEL ITALIE

NEW YORK (AP) — A posthumous and “unsparing” memoir by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, will be published this fall, publishing house Alfred A. Knopf said Sunday.

“Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice” is scheduled for release Oct. 21, the publisher confirmed to The Associated Press. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at age 41, had been working on “Nobody’s Girl” with author-journalist Amy Wallace and had completed the manuscript for the 400-page book, according to Knopf. The publisher’s statement includes an email from Giuffre to Wallace a few weeks before her death, saying that it was her “heartfelt wish” the memoir be released “regardless” of her circumstances.

“The content of this book is crucial, as it aims to shed light on the systemic failures that allow the trafficking of vulnerable individuals across borders,” the email reads. “It is imperative that the truth is understood and that the issues surrounding this topic are addressed, both for the sake of justice and awareness.”

Giuffre had been hospitalized following a serious accident March 24, Knopf said, and sent the email April 1. She died April 25.

“In the event of my passing, I would like to ensure that NOBODY’S GIRL is still released. I believe it has the potential to impact many lives and foster necessary discussions about these grave injustices,” she wrote to Wallace.

In 2023, the New York Post had reported that Giuffre had reached a deal “believed to be worth millions” with an undisclosed publisher. Knopf spokesperson Todd Doughty said that she initially agreed to a seven-figure contract with Penguin Press, but moved with acquiring editor Emily Cunningham after Knopf hired Cunningham as executive editor last year.

Giuffre had stated often that, in the early 2000s, when she was a teenager, she was caught up in Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring and exploited by Britain’s Prince Andrew and other influential men. Epstein was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019 in what investigators described as a suicide. His former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in late 2021 on sex trafficking and other charges.

Andrew had denied Giuffre’s allegations. In 2022, Giuffre and Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement after she had sued him for sexual assault. A representative for Andrew did not immediately return the AP’s request for comment.

“Nobody’s Girl” is distinct from Giuffre’s unpublished memoir, “The Billionaire’s Playboy Club,” referenced in previous court filings and initially unsealed in 2019. Through Doughty, Wallace says she began working with Giuffre on a new memoir in spring 2021.

Giuffre’s name has continued to appear in headlines, even after her death. In July, President Donald Trump told reporters that Epstein had “stolen” Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida where she once worked. She had alleged being approached by Maxwell and hired as a masseuse for Epstein. Maxwell has denied Giuffre’s allegations.

Doughty declined to provide details about the Epstein associates featured in “Nobody’s Girl,” but confirmed that Giuffre made “no allegations of abuse against Trump,” who continues to face questions about Epstein, the disgraced financier and his former friend.

Knopf’s statement says the book contains “intimate, disturbing, and heartbreaking new details about her time with Epstein, Maxwell and their many well-known friends, including Prince Andrew, about whom she speaks publicly for the first time since their out-of-court settlement in 2022.” Knopf Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jordan Pavlin, in a statement, called “Nobody’s Girl” a “raw and shocking” journey and “the story of a fierce spirit struggling to break free.”

Giuffre’s time with Epstein is well documented, although her accounts have been challenged. She had acknowledged getting details wrong, errors she attributed to trying to recall events from years ago. In 2022, she dropped allegations against Alan Dershowitz, saying in a statement at the time that she may “have made a mistake in identifying” the famed attorney as an abuser.

“’Nobody’s Girl’ was both vigorously fact-checked and legally vetted,” a Knopf statement reads.

Giuffre’s co-author on her memoir, Wallace, is an award-winning magazine and newspaper reporter whose work has appeared in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. She has also collaborated on two previous books, Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull’s “Creativity, Inc.” and former General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt’s “Hot Seat.”

A Rottweiler bit and “mauled” a 2-year-old girl in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night, city fire rescue officials said.

Fire Rescue officials responded to the 1700 block of SW 24th Street about 8:15 p.m., spokesperson Frank Guzman told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Two people brought the child to rescue personnel. She had sustained “numerous injuries” from the dog attack, according to a press statement.

The toddler was rushed to the trauma center at Broward Health Medical Center, where her current condition is unknown, Guzman said.

Animal Care investigators say the girl’s bite injuries were so severe that the dog “required confiscation” by the shelter, meaning the owner must give up total ownership of the dog, likely for euthanasia, the spokesperson said. The owner turned over the Rottweiler for that investigation but “did not wish to surrender the dog,” the spokesperson added.

The Pam Rock Act, which passed the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session and took effect July 1, mandates euthanasia for dogs that kill humans or cause severe injuries. Dog owners can file an appeal to stop the euthanasia while the investigation is ongoing.

Phillip Valys can be reached at pvalys@sunsentinel.com or X/Twitter @philvalys

MIAMI GARDENS — One of the many things Ollie Gordon II learned during his first NFL preseason came in the immediate aftermath of Saturday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Miami Dolphins rookie had spent weeks digesting what rookies must every year, from the game’s accelerated speed to the increased physicality to …

“Picking up blitzers,” the sixth-round running back said.

He stepped up nicely to twice block Jacksonville blitzers in Miami’s final preseason game and allowed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to complete passes.

“That’s something I focused on,” he said.

But the learning never stops for a rookie as he realized coming off the field and walking down the Hard Rock Stadium tunnel with teammates celebrating the night’s win. He turned left down a hallway and …

“Hey,” a few teammates called.

Gordon turned.

“We go this way,” he was told, the teammates pointing to another hallway.

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Everything is new for these rookies. That’s the annual part. It’s also the hopeful part this August for a rookie class being heavily counted on.

The class dressed together behind a concrete pillar tucked in the back corner of the Dolphins locker room Saturday night, two to a locker in the annual statement of their time and place. Not that they cared.

“Just happy to be here,” seventh-round rookie defensive tackle Zeek Biggers said.

If you’re a Dolphins fan desperate for some hopeful news against a swirling backdrop of nagging questions about this season, here it is:

They’re going with the kids.

That’s become obvious as summer progressed. As many as four rookies could start in the opener depending on final decisions. Seven will be counted on to contribute with roles on opening day, either due to their summer development or this roster’s desperation. Maybe both.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down Miami’s victory in final preseason game

So, they might be mediocre again this season, but at least they aren’t dead-end old when you look down this rookie’s row. First-round defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who missed Saturday night with day-to-day injury, and second-round guard Jonah Savaiinaea were handed the job from Day One.

Fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr., looks to be the starting slot cornerback after injury and the continuing mystery of veteran Mike Hilton not playing or practicing much. Talk about on-the-job training. Marshall never played the position in college at Florida.

“I’ll play wherever they want me,” Marshall said.

Gordon worked with the first team Saturday night in part because De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright are hurt. The other part is Gordon looks to be earning his part by producing more than Wright with 26 carries for 126 yards this preseason.

Seventh-round quarterback Quinn Ewers has made people want to see more, which is always the trick for a low-round draft pick. Biggers has done the same in coming on at defensive tackle.

“I’ve got to keep going, keep learning,” Biggers said.

Call it Dolphins 101. Class is always in session for these rookies. What have they learned on the edge of the regular season?

“I learned the need to stack good days on top of each other and the shape I want to be in with this heat,” Savaiinaea said. “I came in at 325 (pounds), but feel better at 320. That’s where I’m going to play.”

What have they learned?

“How to be a pro,” defensive lineman Jordan Phillips, Miami’s sixth-round pick said. “You listen to (teammates) Zach Sieler or Bradley Chubb or Jordyn Brooks and you learn how to work and treat your body. Like hot and cold tubs.

“We had them in college. But here, in the league, tubs are taken way more seriously. We use them all the time, after games, practices, recovery days. It’s all about keeping your body right.”

What have they learned?

“Technique was big for me,” Biggers said. “Getting inside hands and your feet right is what’s going to keep you play, a live. Square base. That’s the position. You can’t get away with bad technique like you did in college.”

What have they learned?

“Every play is physical and you’d better bring it,” Gordon said. “I learned that from going up against our linebackers in practice. You’ve got to be a punisher.”

This begins as the biggest contributing class in years. Some of the previous void was due to traded draft picks in 2022 and 2023 for veterans like Tyreek Hill, Chubb and Jalen Ramsey.

Some of it was because they forfeited draft picks in 2023 and 2024 thanks to Tankgate. Some of it was just draft picks that didn’t work out.

Will they all work out? The odds say no. But a season needing some hope and a team needing some good news is looking at this class to provide some this year.

MIAMI — Jakob Marsee hit a bases-loaded triple and Eury Pérez pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning to lead the Miami Marlins past the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Sunday.

Eric Wagaman homered and scored twice for Miami, and Agustín Ramírez had an RBI single. Pérez (6-3) was charged with two runs in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Lake Bachar inherited two runners from Pérez in the seventh and allowed Daulton Varsho’s three-run homer that pulled the AL East-leading Blue Jays to 4-3. Varsho, who struck out twice in two at-bats against Pérez, sent a 424-foot drive over the center-field wall for his 15th homer.

Ramírez’s run-scoring single against reliever Yariel Rodríguez in the bottom half made it 5-3.

The Blue Jays threatened in the eighth when Bachar issued two-out walks to Nathan Lukes and Bo Bichette. Ronny Henriquez relieved and retired pinch-hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a popup in the slugger’s first appearance of the series. Guerrero missed the previous four games because of hamstring inflammation.

Tyler Phillips pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

Wagaman gave the Marlins their first lead of the series with his solo homer in the third. Marsee’s triple in the fifth extended it to 4-0.

Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (8-10) allowed four runs and seven hits while striking out seven in six innings.

Key moment

Before the game, retired second baseman Luis Castillo was inducted into the Marlins’ Hall of Fame. Castillo played 10 seasons for the Marlins and was a member of the club’s two World Series championship teams in 1997 and 2003.

Key stat

Marsee also doubled and scored a run. The rookie has 17 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs in 23 games since being called up from Triple-A on Aug. 1.

Up next

RHP Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.60 ERA) starts the opener of Toronto’s three-game home series against Minnesota on Monday. RHP Joe Ryan (12-6, 2.77) goes for the Twins.

RHP Edward Cabrera (6-7, 3.52 ERA) gets the ball when the Marlins begin a three-game home series against Atlanta on Monday. The Braves had not announced a scheduled starter.

Former Florida Marlins second baseman, Luis Castillo, poses with his ex-teammates after he was inducted into the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame on Sunday in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

By Madyson Fitzgerald, Stateline.org

Self-driving vehicle technology continues to advance, prompting a wave of liability and safety regulations from state lawmakers.

This year, lawmakers in Arizona, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada and the District of Columbia enacted legislation to regulate driverless vehicles, according to a database from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

While much of the legislation aims to update existing law to include new definitions for autonomous vehicles, other measures put rules in place regarding insurance, permitting, licensing and road testing.

In total, lawmakers in 25 states introduced 67 bills related to autonomous vehicles, according to the database. California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania currently have bills under consideration. Alaska, Delaware and Washington have bills that will be carried over into the next legislative session.

Governors vetoed two measures this year. Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis shot down a measure that would have required a driver to be present in any commercial vehicle being operated by an automated driving system.

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a measure that would have put rules in place for “high-risk artificial intelligence systems,” but would have excluded “autonomous vehicle technology” from that category.

As of now, there are no vehicles that have achieved full autonomy, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers’ criteria. But several car companies have introduced automated driving features, allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel.

Tesla is rolling out its Full Self-Driving feature, a system under which a vehicle can drive itself almost anywhere with minimal intervention from the driver. Tesla Autopilot, which the company made available to the public in late 2024, also helps with basic vehicle maneuvering.

And Waymo, the country’s first autonomous ride-hailing service, is currently operating in Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; Phoenix and San Francisco. The robo-taxi company plans to expand to Miami and Washington, D.C., next.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle safety is the main benefit of driverless cars. With higher levels of automation, there is less room for human error or driver distractions. The new technology also could improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, according to the agency.

But driverless cars have been involved in hundreds of accidents over the past few years. Between 2021 and 2024, there were 696 accidents reported that involved a Waymo vehicle, according to an analysis by California-based law firm DiMarco — Araujo — Montevideo.

And last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system after multiple reports of crashes that occurred in low-visibility conditions.

©2025 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.