South Florida Local News

General Daily Insight for June 29, 2025

Everything seems more extreme than usual under today’s stars. Mercury in proud Leo is shooting arrows across the sky as it opposes nefarious Pluto in egalitarian Aquarius at 2:10 am EDT, making it only too easy for tempers to flare and sharp words to be exchanged. The Moon will move on to analytical Virgo, reminding us to proofread our knee-jerk responses to ensure they’re actually reasonable. As the Moon embraces fiery Mars, we must think twice before blurting out any angry remarks!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

People may not respond well to any showboating today. You are undoubtedly ready to put yourself out there while Mercury is winging its way through your fame-seeking 5th house. That “pick-me” energy could cause some trouble when gossipy Mercury opposes Pluto in your group-oriented 11th house! People might feel like you aren’t being a team player — they won’t be happy to let you get away with taking the spotlight for yourself. Make sure that there’s room for everyone to be included.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Beware of emotional outbursts. Your feelings are almost unavoidable while communicator Mercury is in your sensitive 4th house, but fights won’t reflect well on you when Mercury snaps at Pluto in your determined 10th house. A VIP or other supervisor could notice you being a bit reactive and view you less-than-favorably as a result, or perhaps you’re a little too honest when it comes to expressing your opinions in a professional setting. Take time in private to decompress before you get overwhelmed in public.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

It isn’t easy to gauge your limitations right now. Your mind is bubbling over with possibilities and ideas while Mercury is in your 3rd House of Conversation, but you may not know how far to take your thoughts as Mercury opposes Pluto in your 9th House of Extension. Practically anything may seem possible at first glance, but that doesn’t mean it will be quite so simple in practice. Think before you act, or you could set yourself up for difficulties you never even considered.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

A “simple” approach isn’t going to be easy at a time like this. A frantic opposition between Mercury in your 2nd House of Earned Income and Pluto in your 8th House of Intense Links is going to have you pinging back and forth between basic essentials and much more intense topics. You might want to check off chores on your to-do list, but Pluto will likely bring a few heavier matters to your door that require careful consideration. Handle things one at a time.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

You can push someone’s buttons as quickly as they can push yours. Everything may look unusually extreme or dire as Mercury in your leonine sign opposes transformational Pluto in your alliance sector. They’re stirring up potential conflicts, one after another! Getting wrapped up in drama can happen with little warning, whether it’s your own fuss or someone else’s. Strive to maintain a sense of calm in even the most heated debate. Staying level-headed and keeping your cool will be essential.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Today can feel like a bit of a jolt — one it’ll be nigh impossible to see coming. It wouldn’t be all that shocking if you’re somewhat out of it, what with distractible Mercury in your disconnected 12th house at the moment. On the other hand, Mercury also pushes Pluto in your practical 6th house, reminding you of all the work to be done here and now. You can’t avoid it any longer! Snap out of it and attend to matters at hand as required.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

It won’t be easy to ignore your desires, no matter how hard you try. Spending time with all kinds of people should be quite fun while Mercury is in your 11th House of Society, but that energy becomes exponentially more personal when the cosmic communicator opposes Pluto in your 5th House of Personal Pleasure. You may decide to break off from the herd to go do your own thing, which is totally valid. Just make sure you do so in a diplomatic fashion.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Something under your roof is demanding your attention. You can happily focus on professional matters while Mercury is in your 10th House of Business, but your energy will be yanked back home when that planet opposes Pluto in your 4th House of Family. A relative or roommate could stir up drama. A sudden issue could strike involving your abode that requires you to drop everything in order to attend to it. Avoid reacting to any issues in an overly emotional manner.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You can only fly so far before you need to come back down to earth. The skies are hosting a tense opposition between Mercury in your colorful 9th house and Pluto in your local 3rd house. This could feel like there’s a ball and chain dragging you down, when you’d rather soar off beyond the horizon. Potential adventures will have to wait while you deal with real issues. Once you’ve checked those off, you can get back to more exciting expeditions.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Questions of ownership may arise today. Your mind is aligned with rather complicated matters while Mercury is in your 8th House of Joint Property. Well, at least until Mercury snaps at Pluto in your 2nd House of Material Security, pressuring you to stand your ground and defend your position. Someone may expect something from you that you aren’t entirely prepared to give, but that doesn’t automatically mean that they’re being unreasonable. Choose your words wisely before you go telling anyone anything.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

People may not respond to you the way that you’re expecting them to. Mercury in your competitive 7th house is grumbling at extreme Pluto in your unconventional sign, so your peers can ruffle your feathers by barely lifting a finger. If someone says something foolish or idiotic, try not to bite their head off for it. Of course, if they’re being offensive, that’s another matter entirely. Pick your battles wisely, because you don’t want to waste time and energy where it isn’t required.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Even the most responsible Pisces can drop the ball today. You have plenty of things to deal with while Mercury is in your 6th House of Chores, putting you in an efficient state of mind. Watch out! That energy gets turned on its head when Mercury pounces on Pluto in your 12th House of the Subconscious. Issues may crop up unexpectedly, or maybe you forgot about an outstanding matter requiring your attention. Prepare for the day ASAP to avoid getting overwhelmed.

By JOHN MARSHALL

PHOENIX  — Agustín Ramírez hit a run-scoring single in the 10th inning, Heriberto Hernández had a tying sacrifice fly in the ninth and the Miami Marlins stretched their winning streak to six games with an 8-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

Arizona led 7-3 entering the eighth inning, but Miami’s Otto Lopez hit a two-run homer off Jalen Beeks and Liam Hicks followed with a run-scoring single to pull Miami to 7-6. Hernández tied it in ninth on a sacrifice fly off Shelby Miller after Dane Myers singled and stole two bases.

Ramírez lined a run-scoring single off Juan Morillo (0-2) in the 10th. Anthony Bender (2-5) was perfect over the final two innings to close out Miami’s comeback.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte homered and had four RBIs in his second home game since an emotional road trip to Chicago.

Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt got off to shaky start, allowing two runs in the first inning — one on shortstop Geraldo Perdomo’s fielding error.

Pfaadt struck out the next three batters and allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits and struck out seven in five innings.

Alcantara gave up a run on Pavin Smith’s sacrifice fly in the first inning and five more in the fourth, capped by Marte’s three-run homer that put Arizona up 6-3.

Alcantara allowed seven runs on 10 hits in six innings.

Key moment

Myers was initially called out on his steal of third in the ninth, but it was overturned upon review. He scored easily on Hernandez’s sacrifice fly to right.

Key stat

Marte became the third Arizona player with 500 career RBIs, joining Luis Gonzalez (774) and Paul Goldschmidt (710).

Up next

Miami RHP Cal Quantrill (3-7, 5.56 ERA) faces RHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-4, 5.40) on Sunday in the series finale.

GAINESVILLE — The ninth in a position-by-position preview of the UF football team leading up to the opening of fall camp.

TODAY: CORNERBACK

What to expect

The Gators’ longstanding claim to DBU, the fictional Defensive Backs University, has become empty words. A program that churned out three NFL first-rounders at cornerback and four second-rounders from 2016-22 has sent one to the NFL in three years — fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr. in 2025.

UF corners did make some statistical strides in 2024, finishing with 4 interceptions after managing just one in ’23 and cutting the average yards per completion to 7 yards, down from an SEC-worst 8.3. To become an elite unit again, the Gators will need to stay healthy and receives contributions from talented, unproven players. Florida aims to do it while welcoming back former analyst Deron Wilson to replace Walt Harris, who returned to the NFL.

Senior Devin Moore has All-SEC caliber tools but battled injuries since his 2022 arrival, limiting him to 19 of 38 games while at UF. Long, instinctive and athletic, the 6-foot-2 ¾, 198-pound Moore had built up his body and was poised for a breakthrough season when a shoulder injury against Georgia ended 2024 with career-highs of 17 tackles, 2 interceptions and 4 defended passes. During his career, 247Sports states Moore had yielded just 18 catches on 36 targets for an impressive 50% clip.

Junior Dijon Johnson is a former top-100 recruit who changed his commitment from Ohio State. Yet, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound  Tampa product had not been much of a factor until Marshall’s season-ending shoulder injury put Johnson in the starting line, where he recorded 27 tackles, 2 of them for loss, 2 pass breakups and a 52% completion percentage in 25 targets.

A January shoulder surgery and his May 2 arrest in his hometown have complicated his offseason. Tampa Police charged with Johnson with two felonies and two misdemeanors, but prosecutors have yet to proceed, the 21-year-old’s attorney Tim Taylor told the Orlando Sentinel June 26.

Florida Gators defensive back Ben Hanks III (12) knocks the ball away from wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6) in the end zone during the Orange and Blue spring football game April 12 in Gainesville. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Coach Billy Napier said Johnson remained with the team. Meanwhile, some promising young Gators push for bigger roles.

Most intriguing is redshirt sophomore Cormani McClain, a former 5-star prospect from Lakeland who transferred in the spring of 2024 after playing a season at Colorado. The 6-foot-1 ½ McClain possesses length, is up to 182 pounds from the 165 he weighed upon his arrival and was a ballhawk in Lake Gibson High. He recorded 9 interceptions as a sophomore in 2021 and added 6 picks in 2022.

During mop-up duty last season in the Swamp against Kentucky, he had a 29-yard pick-six. But it was a rare highlight in an otherwise lackluster season showing both McClain’s promise and exposing his shortcomings.

Moore, Johnson and McClain are UF’s top options among returners.

Redshirt freshman Jamroc Grimsley was an Alabama transfer in 2024 who arrived with high hopes. Yet he logged just 37 defensive snaps and had offseason knee surgery. Sophomore Teddy Foster, a 3-star prospect from Sarasota, managed 4 tackles and allowed a 24-yard reception on the only target he faced.

Highly touted freshman Ben Hanks III could capitalize on the injuries and a lack of proven cornerback depth. The son of a former UF linebacker in the 1990s, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Hanks set a Miami-Dade County last season at Booker T. Washington High with 13 interceptions. In 2023, he had 3 pick-sixes.

Southern Miss transfer Micheal Caraway Jr. brings five years experience, including two at the junior college level, to a group lacking veterans. The Gators hope for production, too. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound Caraway totaled 70 tackles, 7 passes defended passes and a fumble recovery in 35 games, including 15 starts at Southern Miss.

UF also picked up 4-star cornerback Onis Konanbanny, a former Tennessee commitment, on the eve of February’s National Signing Day. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Konanbanny did not join the Gators until this summer, taking a unique path to Gainesville. He was born in France, grew up in London, England, and spent the past two seasons at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C., where he had 56 solo tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 pass breakups and an interception in 2024.

What they’re saying

“We have a really good problem in the room: Whoever goes out there, it doesn’t matter. We have a standard, which the standard, no matter who it is, is to go out there and take care of business.” — first-year position coach Deron Wilson.

Mississippi State wide receiver Jordan Mosley (6) catches a touchdown pass against Florida defensive back Devin Moore (28) during the Gators win Sept. 21 in Starkville, Miss.,against the Bulldogs. (AP Photo/James Pugh)

Returnees

Teddy FosterJamroc GrimsleyDijon JohnsonCormani McClainDevin Moore

Departures

Ja’Keem JacksonJason Marshall Jr.

New arrivals

Micheal Carraway Jr. (Southern Miss), redshirt seniorBen Hanks (Miami), true freshmanOnis Konanbanny (Columbia, S.C.), true freshman

Projected depth chart

QB1 — Devin Moore | Cormani McClainQB2 — Dijon Johnson | Micheal Carraway Jr.

Previous

QuarterbackRunning backTight endReceiverOffensive lineInterior defensive lineEdge rusherLinebacker

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

GAINESVILLE — The ninth in a position-by-position preview of the UF football team leading up to the opening of fall camp.

TODAY: CORNERBACK

What to expect

The Gators’ longstanding claim to DBU, the fictional Defensive Backs University, has become empty words. A program that churned out three NFL first-rounders at cornerback and four second-rounders from 2016-22 has sent one to the NFL in three years — fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr. in 2025.

UF corners did make some statistical strides in 2024, finishing with 4 interceptions after managing just one in ’23 and cutting the average yards per completion to 7 yards, down from an SEC-worst 8.3. To become an elite unit again, the Gators will need to stay healthy and receives contributions from talented, unproven players. Florida aims to do it while welcoming back former analyst Deron Wilson to replace Walt Harris, who returned to the NFL.

Senior Devin Moore has All-SEC caliber tools but battled injuries since his 2022 arrival, limiting him to 19 of 38 games while at UF. Long, instinctive and athletic, the 6-foot-2 ¾, 198-pound Moore had built up his body and was poised for a breakthrough season when a shoulder injury against Georgia ended 2024 with career-highs of 17 tackles, 2 interceptions and 4 defended passes. During his career, 247Sports states Moore had yielded just 18 catches on 36 targets for an impressive 50% clip.

Junior Dijon Johnson is a former top-100 recruit who changed his commitment from Ohio State. Yet, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound  Tampa product had not been much of a factor until Marshall’s season-ending shoulder injury put Johnson in the starting line, where he recorded 27 tackles, 2 of them for loss, 2 pass breakups and a 52% completion percentage in 25 targets.

A January shoulder surgery and his May 2 arrest in his hometown have complicated his offseason. Tampa Police charged with Johnson with two felonies and two misdemeanors, but prosecutors have yet to proceed, the 21-year-old’s attorney Tim Taylor told the Orlando Sentinel June 26.

Florida Gators defensive back Ben Hanks III (12) knocks the ball away from wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6) in the end zone during the Orange and Blue spring football game April 12 in Gainesville. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Coach Billy Napier said Johnson remained with the team. Meanwhile, some promising young Gators push for bigger roles.

Most intriguing is redshirt sophomore Cormani McClain, a former 5-star prospect from Lakeland who transferred in the spring of 2024 after playing a season at Colorado. The 6-foot-1 ½ McClain possesses length, is up to 182 pounds from the 165 he weighed upon his arrival and was a ballhawk in Lake Gibson High. He recorded 9 interceptions as a sophomore in 2021 and added 6 picks in 2022.

During mop-up duty last season in the Swamp against Kentucky, he had a 29-yard pick-six. But it was a rare highlight in an otherwise lackluster season showing both McClain’s promise and exposing his shortcomings.

Moore, Johnson and McClain are UF’s top options among returners.

Redshirt freshman Jamroc Grimsley was an Alabama transfer in 2024 who arrived with high hopes. Yet he logged just 37 defensive snaps and had offseason knee surgery. Sophomore Teddy Foster, a 3-star prospect from Sarasota, managed 4 tackles and allowed a 24-yard reception on the only target he faced.

Highly touted freshman Ben Hanks III could capitalize on the injuries and a lack of proven cornerback depth. The son of a former UF linebacker in the 1990s, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Hanks set a Miami-Dade County last season at Booker T. Washington High with 13 interceptions. In 2023, he had 3 pick-sixes.

Southern Miss transfer Micheal Caraway Jr. brings five years experience, including two at the junior college level, to a group lacking veterans. The Gators hope for production, too. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound Caraway totaled 70 tackles, 7 passes defended passes and a fumble recovery in 35 games, including 15 starts at Southern Miss.

UF also picked up 4-star cornerback Onis Konanbanny, a former Tennessee commitment, on the eve of February’s National Signing Day. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Konanbanny did not join the Gators until this summer, taking a unique path to Gainesville. He was born in France, grew up in London, England, and spent the past two seasons at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C., where he had 56 solo tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 pass breakups and an interception in 2024.

What they’re saying

“We have a really good problem in the room: Whoever goes out there, it doesn’t matter. We have a standard, which the standard, no matter who it is, is to go out there and take care of business.” — first-year position coach Deron Wilson.

Mississippi State wide receiver Jordan Mosley (6) catches a touchdown pass against Florida defensive back Devin Moore (28) during the Gators win Sept. 21 in Starkville, Miss.,against the Bulldogs. (AP Photo/James Pugh)

Returnees

Teddy FosterJamroc GrimsleyDijon JohnsonCormani McClainDevin Moore

Departures

Ja’Keem JacksonJason Marshall Jr.

New arrivals

Micheal Carraway Jr. (Southern Miss), redshirt seniorBen Hanks (Miami), true freshmanOnis Konanbanny (Columbia, S.C.), true freshman

Projected depth chart

QB1 — Devin Moore | Cormani McClainQB2 — Dijon Johnson | Micheal Carraway Jr.

Previous

QuarterbackRunning backTight endReceiverOffensive lineInterior defensive lineEdge rusherLinebacker

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

After sitting out the first three rounds of the draft, the Florida Panthers used the late rounds to load up on backend talent at several positions.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers selected Mads Kongsbak Klyvo — a left winger from Frederikshavn, Denmark — with the No. 112 pick in the NHL draft on Sunday. Just 18 years old, Klyvo scored 14 goals and 29 points last season in the J20 Nationell — a Swedish junior hockey league.

Later in the same fourth round, the Panthers also picked up another left winger, grabbing Shea Busch, an 18-year-old committed to Penn State University, with the No. 128 pick. Florida was back on the clock a pick later at No.129, and added Shamar Moses, a right-winger from Scarborough, Canada. They then made the final pick of the sixth round, selecting Arvid Drott — a Swedish right winger — with the No. 192 pick. Like Klyvo, Drott played in the Swedish J20 Nationell and scored 36 points in 40 games played this past season.

The Panthers added an extra pick midway through the final round, trading their 2026 seventh-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for their seventh-rounder this year, the 197th pick, which Florida used to select Brendan Dunphy. Dunphy, a defenseman from San Diego, was committed to the University of Connecticut before being drafted by the Panthers on Saturday.

“There were two players that we had identified that we thought we had a chance to get,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said of the trade. “So we thought we could get an extra pick.”

Florida made the final selection of the draft, taking Yegor Midlak, a Russian goaltender, with the No. 224 pick.

“Sometimes you don’t have those high picks,” Zito said. “But you’re still able to add quality players who all the guys think are quality people as well.”

They were originally slated to go into the draft with six picks in hand until Thursday, when the Panthers traded a fifth-round pick, the 160th, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goaltender Daniil Tarasov.

“(Tarasov) will solidify the backend of the goaltending,” Zito said. “He’s a great, big guy with a lot of potential and we really think that working with our people will be a great oppurtunity for him.”

Florida’s picks in the first three rounds had long been dealt away in a set of maneuvers that culminated in their consecutive Stanley Cups.

Their first-round pick (No. 32) was sent to the Calgary Flames in the 2022 trade that landed the Panthers Matthew Tkachuk.

Their second-rounder (No. 64) belongs to Toronto, after the trade during last year’s draft swapped Florida’s 2024 seventh-round and 2025 second-round picks for the Maple Leafs’ 2024 second-round pick. Florida selected Linus Eriksson at No. 58 with that pick.

The Panthers’ third-round pick (No. 96) was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in 2024 in exchange for Vladimir Tarasenko.

The infusion of youth through the draft comes at the same time as Florida’s front office is working to bring back several of the veterans that led their run over the past two years before free agents can sign with new teams on July 1.

“Someone asked me if I’m negotiating,” Zito said. “I’m mediating, because we’re spending it all. We’re trying to get everybody happy.”

Star center Sam Bennett, the Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the playoffs, on Friday signed an eight-year contract worth $8 million per year, keeping him with the Panthers for the foreseeable future.

Florida — now with $11 million to spend in free agency after re-signing Bennett — has also been in negotiations this week with forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, both of whom become free agents on Tuesday.

“When you spend to the cap, and you do it for as many years as we have and commit to as many players we have, the wiggle room on little things is really, really difficult,” Zito said. “So sometimes you just have to keep at it so that you can fit everybody and keep the corpus of the team together.”

MIAMI — There will be no waiting game for the Miami Heat when it comes to the free agency of guard Davion Mitchell. That is because Mitchell will not be entering NBA free agency.

Having received an $8.7 million qualifying offer from the Heat that would have had him as a restricted free agent at Monday’s 6 p.m. start of NBA free agency, Mitchell instead agreed to a two-year,  $24 million contract to continue with the team with which he had a breakthrough after being acquired at midseason from the Toronto Raptors.

The type of defensive point-of-attack presence the Heat had lacked, Mitchell, 26, revitalized his career through unexpectedly solid shooting and the type of defensive deterrence that long has stood as a Heat trademark.

With the agreement on the two-year deal, the Heat now have 15 players under standard contract for next season, which is the NBA limit.

That total could be adjusted Sunday or thereafter, depending on the approach with guard Duncan Robinson.

Robinson has a Sunday 5 p.m. deadline to invoke an early-termination clause on what otherwise would be a $20 million salary for next season on the final year of his five-year, $90 million contract. However, only $10 million of that 2025-26 salary is guaranteed, with the Heat with a July 8 deadline to guarantee the other $10 million.

Among the options with Robinson would be for the 3-point specialist to bypass the $20 million salary on the books and instead restructure a contract that would start closer to his $10 million guarantee.

With the agreement with Mitchell, the Heat currently stand above the punitive NBA luxury tax, but would be able to skirt that penalty by reducing the money owed to Robinson or by waiving him.

Had Mitchell reached the open market, the Heat would have  had the right to match outside offers, offers that would have been more for the two-year term that the Heat agreed upon.

Until arriving to the Heat, it had been an uneven NBA ride for Mitchell, who was drafted No. 9 by the Sacramento Kings in 2021 out of Baylor. Mitchell spent three inconsistent seasons with the Kings before being dealt last summer to the Raptors.

Mitchell, who earned $6.5 million this past season on the final year of his rookie-scale contract, elevated his play in his 30 regular-season appearances with the Heat, averaging 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting .504 from the field and .447 on 3-pointers. He almost singlehandedly put the Heat in the playoffs by converting three overtime 3-pointers in the play-in victory that pushed the Heat in the postseason, when a loss that night to the Atlanta Hawks otherwise would have dropped the Heat into the lottery.

At the moment, this largely leaves the Heat with a similar roster to the one that closed last season at 37-45, advancing to the playoffs after finishing in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. The Heat then were blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 4-0 first round playoff sweep that was the most lopsided playoff-series margin in NBA history.

Up next for the Heat will be a study into the possibilities of the trade market. Such speculation includes the future of forward Andrew Wiggins.

Mitchell and Wiggins were acquired at the Feb.  6 NBA trading deadline, in the move that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

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At the moment, the only significant change from the Heat’s season-ending roster is first-round addition of No. 20 pick draft pick Kasparas Jakucionis,  the playmaking guard from Illinois.

With the Heat standard roster now at 15, the question of a potential return of 3-point specialist Alec Burks  likely will come down to the Heat approach with Robinson.

Burks said earlier this summer at an appearance at the Heat youth camp at Cooper City High School that his goal was to return, with a desire to get such an agreement completed as soon as possible.

The Heat were able to negotiate with Mitchell ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m.  start of free agency because he was their own free agent. Any contact with outside free agents has to wait until 6 p.m. Monday.

While the Heat have resources to pursue free agents, including salary-cap exceptions, their current position against the luxury tax makes free-agency moves on Monday unlikely, with a greater focus now on the trade market.

Hundreds of people, including indigenous groups, environmentalists and immigration advocates gathered outside Gov Ron DeSantis’ planned ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility in the middle of the Everglades Saturday, the second protest there in a week.

About 1,000 stood in the heat along Tamiami Trail near Mile Marker 50 as of early Saturday afternoon, outside the gates of the little-used airfield that is now set to become an immigration detention center. Cars lined the road for miles in each direction. Members of the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes beat drums and led ceremonies with sage to cleanse the area while others carried signs, chanted and wore anti-ICE T-shirts.

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All the while, streams of trucks carrying building materials, industrial lights, generators and portable toilets made their way past the throngs of protesters and into the facility, which sits near the border between Collier County and Miami-Dade. Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Collier County Sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement personnel stood at the gates and attempted to direct traffic.

The DeSantis administration has made quick work of transforming the Miami-Dade County-owned airfield into what state officials see as an ideal location for detained immigrants, surrounded by alligators and swamp. But the plans have also led to widespread protests over environmental concerns, the site’s location on indigenous land and the living conditions that detainees will face in a makeshift facility in the middle of a hot Florida summer.

Environmental advocates and protesters at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, object to the “Alligator Alcatraz” being built at the facility. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

One of the protest speakers was Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee environmental activist, who says that the planned detention center will disrupt her tribe’s way of life. The land the airstrip sits on is considered sacred, home to Miccosukee and Seminole Indians. Osceola said her tribe uses the surrounding area for ceremonial purposes as well as to forage and fish.

“Now, all day long I hear noise from the big trucks,” Osceola told reporters. She worried that the detention facility would open the door for further development around the airstrip.

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Speaking to the protesters through a loudspeaker, Osceola said that the people behind the facility have forgotten their humanity.

“Find it in your heart to pray for these people,” she said. “That they can be human beings again. If they’re human beings again, this will stop.”

Betty Osceola with the Miccosukee tribe of Indians addresses environmental advocates and other protesters at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, on Saturday, June 28, 2025 as they object to the “Alligator Alcatraz” being built at the facility. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Protesters came from far and wide to join Saturday’s demonstration, the second outside the airstrip in a week.

Jamie DeRoin, 45, traveled three hours from Port St. Lucie to Collier County just to protest. She had previously joined statewide protests over Florida’s controversial plans to build golf courses and pickleball courts in state parks. Now, she sees the detention facility as another threat to Florida’s natural environment.

“It’s important to come out here and stand up for the last wild places,” DeRoin said, “because once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

DeRoin added that having a detention facility in the middle of the Everglades was “inhumane.”

“I got bombarded by mosquitoes just coming out here,” she said. “It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s hurricane season. It’s just not the place, really.”

Nearby, Jessica Perez, 23, carried a sign reading “just following orders is not a defense” and wore an anti-ICE T-shirt. She worries for her friends and family, who are immigrants, as well as for the environment.

“I’m protesting because it’s an intersectional issue,” said Perez. “I care about the environment and I also care about my family.”

Environmental groups filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to halt construction of the facility, saying it “threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect.”

DeSantis has dismissed the environmental concerns, saying there will be “zero” impact and that critics are using the Everglades “as a pretext just for the fact that they oppose immigration enforcement.”

Information from the Orlando Sentinel was used in this report.

DAVIE — Jeremiah Smith’s plan when he got to Ohio State was work hard and see what happens.

“The thought process with us was pretty much get in, get your feet wet, whatever playing time you get, do what you got to do,” Smith’s father, Chris Smith, told the Sun Sentinel. “I guess he had his own mindset, so he went there and did what he needed to do to get him a spot.”

Smith did not just earn a spot on a talented Buckeyes roster. He established himself as a starter, a star and arguably the best player in college football entering his sophomore year.

“It’s been surreal,” Chris Smith said. “You know, the expectation was high, but I knew he could be able to go do what he needed to do. So it’s a surreal moment, but also it’s a grinding moment, too.”

Smith’s success feels almost preordained. He was always among the most talented players in his age group, his seven-on-seven coach, South Florida Express founder Brett Goetz, said.

“Everybody kept talking about this JJ Smith kid,” Goetz said. “I think we were in Houston. … But I finally got to see him, and he was as advertised. He was great. And watching him kind of go up our ladder of seven-on-seven teams, age-wise, and he’s every bit what everybody says.”

Smith starred everywhere he played in South Florida. At Chaminade-Madonna, he racked up 3,043 receiving yards and 45 touchdown catches from his sophomore season through his senior year. He was the Sun Sentinel Broward County small schools offensive player of the year as a senior.

When it came time to pick a college, Smith — who was listed as the top high school player in the nation — stuck with his long-time Ohio State commitment over a push from hometown Miami.

The decision paid off. Smith racked up 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman, helping lead the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff title.

“He’s just hungry to do it over again,” Chris Smith said.

But all the success has not changed him, Chris Smith and Goetz said.

“He’s still JJ,” Chris Smith said.

Said Goetz: “(He) shakes everybody’s hand, signs everything, takes pictures with every kid. And I saw him a couple weeks ago at Ohio State practice, and all these people came up to him, these kids, and they wanted to have a catch with him. So watching that, and he never said no to anybody. So, I think, he’s handled it really well.”

The elder Smith said his son does not want to come home often, which he takes as a good sign.

“That means you feel at home,” Chris Smith said.

Smith has taken on the role of superstar (being named one of EA Sports’ College Football 26 cover athletes, among other honors), but has not changed who he is.

On the field, the sky remains the limit.

“I’ve seen Amari Cooper, I’ve seen a lot of these great ones come through South Florida,” Goetz said. “And he has a chance to be the best out of all of them. Time will tell. But at this point, he’s unreal.”

He said what you said.

“I believe I could’ve had success elsewhere, but why take that chance?” Sam Bennett asked.

He saw what you saw.

“We really have the chance to make this team a dynasty,’’ he said.

The Florida Panthers center signing an eight-year, $64-million deal makes you ask the next question, too. Who’s next? Brad Marchand? Aaron Ekblad?

These three days before NHL free agency begins with these three players might look like the 12 Days of Christmas by the time the announcements stop. Do the Panthers pull off the triple play?

“It sounds like it’s happening,’’ a hockey agent said Friday night.

This isn’t negotiation as much as mediation, as Panthers general manger Bill Zito has said. The team entered free agency having $19 million to spend and three prime players to spend it on. Bennett, at 29, the Conn Smythe winner as the playoffs’ top performer, is the first guy this team needed back with his mix of fury and finishing.

Now, who’s next?

“This scares the league,” the agent said.

It’s not just the Panthers have eight core players signed for the next five years. It’s that Seth Jones, at 30, is the oldest. Anton Lundell is the youngest at 23. When’s the last time two-time champions had such a developed roster sitting in the prime of their careers?

“This is the core that’s been here for the last three, four years, and we’ve had so much success I don’t see why it can’t continue,’’ Bennett said. “We’re all so committed to the same goal of winning and doing whatever it takes and putting in the hard hours to do what it takes to win.

“It’s really the dream situation. I couldn’t pass up signing for another eight years.”

Sports is full of filthy-rich decisions made that seems just filthy. LIV golfers selling their souls to a Saudi league came with a game-changing odor. The Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, signed for $112 million, sabotaging a season over a contract two seasons away.

Then there’s the ongoing saga of Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He signed a position-high deal two years ago. He demanded it be redone to make him the highest-paid cornerback last year, and the Dolphins relented. He now wants out of town because something else isn’t right.

Players should get whatever they can, just like you or I should. But is it too much to ask they care about the team in return? Or at least pretend to care?

Bennett got his money. The $8 million is roughly $1 million more than the Panthers were offering a year ago. He also could have gotten more elsewhere, as anyone on the open market usually can. But Bennett’s list of priorities seemed to follow Matthew Tkachuk’s reasoning, when he picked the Panthers a few years ago.

“No. 1, where can I win?” Tkachuk said. “No. 2, where can I make the most money? No. 3 was like, outside of the rink, where was the best place to be? That was pretty obvious. This was the best place to be.”

The Panthers don’t keep everyone. They can’t. Last summer, defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Ryan Lomberg signed life-setting contracts elsewhere. Sometimes money wins out.

So, Jones, Nate Schmidt and A.J. Greer filled those spots. Each had career seasons, too. That says something about what’s happening here.

Bennett had five coaches in six Calgary seasons and his career was floundering before coming to the Panthers. Part of that was him, no doubt. Part of his success now is that coach Paul Maurice’s idea of hockey mirrors his physical talents.

“My game didn’t change, but I changed how I looked at the game,’’ he said. “I played a little different style. It helped me so much playing a little harder hockey, more defensive minded.’’

Marchand’s game was rejuvenated, too. At 38 next year, he’d be an outlier on this team. So was the manner he played in the Stanley Cup Final with six goals.

“I told him, ‘We’re following you — you’re leading us,’” Bennett said.

Ekblad, a lifelong Panther, was part of the layered defense that held down Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid these playoffs.

It’s rare when the front office, coach and players are in harmony like the Panthers — as rare as winning two titles and thinking of more. A dream, as Bennett said. A nightmare for the league, as the agent said.

One big free agent down.

Two to go?

Florida hasn’t had a lieutenant governor for four months. Tell the truth. Have you noticed?

No, you haven’t, and that tells you all you need to know about a position that sounds much more important than it is.

The job is usually so irrelevant that people in politics can’t even be bothered taking the time to say all six syllables, so they just refer to it as “L.G.”

Mike Stocker/Sun SentinelSteve Bousquet, South Florida Sun Sentinel columnist.

Perhaps you didn’t notice: The last L.G., Jeanette Nuñez, resigned in February to become president of Florida International University in Miami.

For six years, Nuñez was a heartbeat away from being governor, but few noticed when she was there, or when she wasn’t there anymore.

It does with the territory. Former Gov. Rick Scott once left the job vacant for 10 months.

The job of lieutenant governor pays $135,516 a year.

The governor lives in a stately official residence with servants. The lieutenant governor gets a little office in the state Capitol and a couple of aides.

The governor gets access to a state plane and round-the-clock security from FDLE. The lieutenant governor gets a Florida Highway Patrol trooper as a driver.

By law, the job description is to become governor “upon vacancy in the office of Governor.”

The last time it happened was in 1998, when Gov. Lawton Chiles died three weeks before he was scheduled to leave office. Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay succeeded him until Jeb Bush was inaugurated on Jan. 5, 1999.

Politico Florida and The Capitolist have reported that the next L.G. might be Jay Collins, who has been a state senator from Tampa since 2022, is married with two young sons, and has been one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s strongest supporters in the Senate.

He’s a favorite of Florida’s conservative base and has a compelling personal story.

Collins, 49, is a former Army Greet Beret and disabled veteran who had part of his leg amputated and is a Purple Heart recipient. He had a tough childhood. His mother was addicted to drugs and he lived on welfare for a time as a child.

He was part of the recent rescue mission organized by the governor’s office to help people leave Israel for Florida as war broke out with Iran.

Collins is a workhorse in the Senate, and he has the respect of his colleagues.

Surely he’s astute enough to realize that he has a lot more clout as one of 40 senators than he would as lieutenant governor.

But what makes this intriguing is the timing. DeSantis cannot run again, and he wants to find a potential successor to carry on his legacy if his wife Casey doesn’t run for governor.

Despite his short time in office, Collins has expressed interest in running for governor in 2026. In fact, it makes little sense for Collins to take the job if he’s not going to run for governor.

Running won’t be easy: U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples has President Trump’s endorsement. But nothing is impossible in politics.

The myth persists in Florida that being L.G. is a stepping stone to greater political things, even though history shows the opposite is usually true.

Since 1968, when the office of lieutenant governor was restored, 12 people have held the office. The only one who held it all eight years was Gov. Bob Graham’s L.G., Wayne Mixson, who once threatened to jump ship because Graham gave him so little to do.

Jim Bourdier/APWayne Mixson (right) was Gov. Bob Graham's lieutenant governor from 1979 to 1987.

None of them successfully used the job as a springboard to higher office, and most didn’t try. But long before Nuñez left for FIU, Bush’s first No. 2, Frank Brogan, got the FAU presidency in 2003.

And whether or not you like DeSantis, it’s a good thing he appears to be in good health.

If he were unable to serve, the lack of a lieutenant governor means the next person in the line of succession would be Attorney General James Uthmeier.

Yes, that James Uthmeier, the one who was appointed to the job by DeSantis and who has never been elected by the voters. The one who was held in civil contempt by a federal judge after he continued to enforce an anti-immigrant law that the judge put on hold.

Uthmeier is the same one who came up with the vicious, environmentally reckless “Alligator Alcatraz” as a dehumanizing holding pen for immigrants in the Everglades.

The only thing worse than General Uthmeier would be Governor Uthmeier. That can’t happen.

So it’s obvious: Florida needs a lieutenant governor now more than ever.

Steve Bousquet is Opinion Editor of the Sun Sentinel and a columnist in Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale. You can contact him at sbousquet@sunsentinel.com or (850) 567-2240. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @stevebousquet.