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What gives those in power the right to eliminate suspected drug transporters in open waters?

What became of due process and the sacred safeguard of innocent until proven guilty?

Summary executions at sea make us no better than the least-democratic banana republic. Suspicion is not proof. If we can annihilate people at sea, then we can apprehend them at sea (and seek worthwhile intelligence).

I and many others put our lives on the line to protect our principles. It’s sad to see them trampled by the current administration. Following the rules is the harder course, but for any nation that calls itself a democracy, it’s the right course. Drug trafficking is a worldwide blight, and so are mass killings. But the accused are entitled to a trial by jury. Our ship of state is in dangerous waters.

Les Schwartz, Boca Raton

‘Live free or die’ Shoppers push carts at Publix at Tavares Crossroads shopping center in Tavares on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. A manager at this Publix said the store allows open carry. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

I was a certified range officer at my gun club while living in San Francisco.

I specialized in teaching women sport shooting, including proper holster carry and draw techniques.

This is not rocket science. Once they overcame their nervousness and possible fear because of all the bad California propaganda that we are always bombarded with, they usually became regular competition shooters.

I retired to Broward after my career in the federal government because I believed in my original New Hampshire motto, “Live Free or Die.” I enjoy living here. It’s like a breath of fresh air.

I’m a regular shopper at Publix. While I applaud their Second Amendment policy, I’ve yet to see anyone with a gun in either store I frequent.

This sounds like more anti-gun rhetoric by the usual people who preach democracy but are always out to restrict our Constitutional rights. I’m neither a Republican or Democrat but a Lauderdale Libertarian. The U.S. Constitution is my government.

Don Bartone, Fort Lauderdale

On Charlie Kirk Road

In a letter to the editor endorsing naming 40 college and university roads after Charlie Kirk, Frank Pucillo appears to acknowledge that Kirk said racist and antisemitic things, implying that this was OK because Kirk was not a liar.

The writer may be happy at the prospect of driving on Charlie Kirk Road in Davie, but I doubt that any Jewish or African-American student compelled to do so will feel the same way.

Jerry Barkan, Pompano Beach

Kirk and the Klan

Frank Pucillo of Davie (“Kirk deserves the honor,” Nov. 1) writes that Charlie Kirk should be honored for what he said.

Here are a couple of things Kirk said: Some Black women “do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously.” “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified.’”

Mr. Pucillo noted that the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board did not call Kirk a liar. He may not have been, but his presentation was dishonest. It was not designed to elevate civil consciousness but to present reprehensible, racist and misogynistic views as legitimate discourse rather than the regressive and oppressive past errors of our efforts to live up to our ideals that should be disavowed by all Americans.

Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be murdered. He also does not deserve more recognition.

I too drive past Broward College in Davie. Naming streets in the area after such a man would be a step into the past as when the Ku Klux Klan paraded openly in Davie. At least then, most of us jeered them rather than celebrate their abhorrent views.

Scot McCluskey, Davie

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

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Today is Wednesday, Nov. 12, the 316th day of 2025. There are 49 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 12, 1954, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center. More than 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.

Also on this date:

In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

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In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., and gave the green light to traffic.

In 1936, American playwright Eugene O’Neill received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

In 1948, Japanese general and former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal; he was executed in December 1948.

In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The deadliest tropical cyclone on record claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000-500,000 people.

In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, en route to the Dominican Republic, crashed after takeoff from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground.

In 2019, Venice saw its worst flooding in more than 50 years, with the water reaching 6.14 feet (1.87 meters) above average sea level; damage was estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2021, a judge in Los Angeles ended the conservatorship that had controlled the life and money of pop star Britney Spears for nearly 14 years.

In 2024, a federal judge sentenced Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard member, to 15 years in prison for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine; Teixeira had pleaded guilty to willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act, nearly a year after his arrest in the most consequential national security breach in years.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 82.
• Rock musician Booker T. Jones is 81.
• Sportscaster Al Michaels is 81.
• Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 80.
• Author Tracy Kidder is 80.
• Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island is 76.
• Actor Megan Mullally is 67.
• Olympic gold medal gymnast Nadia Comăneci is 64.
• Olympic gold medal swimmer Jason Lezak is 50.
• Pakistani filmmaker and journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is 47.
• Actor Ryan Gosling is 45.
• Actor Anne Hathaway is 43.
• Golfer Jason Day is 38.
• NBA point guard Russell Westbrook is 37.

GAINESVILLE — Florida forward Thomas Haugh and point guard Boogie Fland joined forces to lead the No. 10 Gators to a come-from-behind win against Florida State.

Haugh, a key to last season’s national championship run, and Fland, the top transfer in a rebuilt backcourt, came together during a dramatic 78-76 win Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center.

Haugh finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in 38 minutes, including the entire second half for the Gators (2-1).

“He’s a winning player,” Golden said. “Doesn’t get tired. I don’t know how else to say it, he’s out there doing things that make the Florida Gators a better team. “

Meanwhile, Fland had a breakout performance with 18 points, with 14 after halftime highlighted by his first two 3-pointers of the season. The 6-foot-3 sophomore also chipped in five rebounds and four steals.

“Played his best half as a Gator,” Golden said. “I’m sure it felt good for him to see the ball in the net.”

Two Fland free throws with 15.8 seconds to go gave UF a 76-73 lead as the Gators held off FSU senior shooting guard Robert McCray V, the Seminoles’ one-man show down the stretch.

Florida forward Thomas Haugh had 20 points and 13 rebounds during the Gators' 78-76 win against Florida State Tuesday night at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

But McCray could not complete his late-game heroics, featuring 15 points in the game’s final 6:11. The 6-foot-4 Jacksonville transfer missed a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game with seven seconds remaining.

“He’s a beast,” Golden said. ” He’s like a college version of Russell Westbrook. He likes to play downhill, uses physicality. He kept them in it late and  made some big shots.”

McCray’s miss, though, haunted him after the loss.

“He’s very down on himself right now,” FSU first-year coach Luke Loucks said. “But I’d draw up the same play for him again.”

After McCray’s shot missed the mark, UF power forward Alex Condon made two free throws with five seconds to go to effectively ice the game. McCray’s 3 with a second to go gave him a game-high 29 points but was not enough for the Seminoles (2-1) to pull off an upset as 17.5-point underdogs in the O’Connell Center, where the Florida has won nine in a row and are 31-2 since the start of the 2023-24 season.

“I’m not a big moral victory guy,” said Loucks, a 35-year-old former Seminole who came from the Golden State Warriors. “But I was proud of their fight.”

The Gators finished with a 58-36 rebounding advantage, led by center Rueben Chinyelu’s career-high 16 rebounds to go with 10 points, and held the Seminoles to 34% shooting, including 26.5% from 3-point range (9 of 34).

But UF could not gain a foothold against FSU until Haugh and Fland took charge.

FSU built a modest 47-42 lead, but were slowly gaining control until Haugh scored on a driving layup and hit a 3 on consecutive possessions.

Florida guard Boogie Fland (0) shoots over Florida State forward Chauncey Wiggins, left, during the Gators' 78-76 win Tuesday night in Gainesville. (AP Photo/Chris Watkins)

Fland hit his first 3 of the season — on his ninth try in three games — to make it 53-52. After an FSU basket, Fland then hit the first of two free-throw attempts, but grabbed the rebound on his miss. Haugh soon drove to the basket for dunk to tie the game at 55-55, the game’s seventh tie of eight on the night.

A driving layup by Haugh gave UF a 59-57 lead with 9:38 to go, the Gators’ first lead since 7:42 remained in the first half. Haugh then blocked a Seminoles’ shot attempt to ignite a fast break ending with a Fland layup.

After another Gators’ defensive stop, Haugh found Fland in the corner for a 3-pointer and a 64-59 lead. Fland then assisted on a layup to Xavian Lee in transition to complete an 11-0 run.

Florida build its lead to nine points, at 69-60. But McCray’s strong play and sloppiness by the Gators, including three Condon turnovers down the stretch, made for the closest game in the series since Florida’s 73-71 loss in 2015 in Tallahassee.

A 3-pointer from the corner by reserve guard Urban Klavzar off a crosscourt pass by Lee made it 74-70, but McCray answered with another layup. After a missed jumper by Fland, McCray drew a foul on Lee but missed the second of two free throws with a chance to tie the game.

“We didn’t do a very good job the last four minutes of playing with the lead,” Golden said. “We had some really silly, uncharacteristic turnovers. Urb hadn’t been shooting the ball well all year, but he stepped up and hit a huge 3 to take it to four late. We needed each and every one of those to get this win.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

By ANDREW DALTON, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three paintings from famously chill public television legend Bob Ross sold Tuesday for more than $600,000 at auction. The paintings were the first of 30 Ross works being sold to benefit public TV stations hurt by cuts in federal funding.

At the live auction at Bonhams in Los Angeles, a serene, snow vista called “Winter’s Peace” that Ross painted entirely during a 1993 episode of “The Joy of Painting” went for $318,000 to a bidder on the phone.

“For a good cause — and you get the painting,” auctioneer Aaron Bastian said during the bidding. He invoked a common sentiment of Ross, who died in 1995, during a brief lull. “Bob would remind you that this is your world, and you can do anything you want.”

Another painting done on a 1993 episode, a lush, green landscape called “Home in the Valley,” went for $229,100. A third, “Cliffside,” sold for $114,800.

The final prices include a charge for the auction house added to the final bid known as the buyer’s premium. The identities of the buyers weren’t immediately revealed.

Bids for all three paintings went well past pre-auction estimates of their value, which topped out around $50,000.

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Three more Ross paintings will be up for auction at Bonhams in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on Jan. 27, with others to follow in New York and London.

All profits are pledged to stations that use content from distributor American Public Television.

Ross, a public television staple in the 1980s and ’90s, was known for his dome of hair and warm demeanor.

The special sales seek to help stations in need of licensing fees that allow them to show popular programs that along with Ross’ show include “America’s Test Kitchen,” “Julia Child’s French Chef Classics,” and “This Old House.” Small and rural stations are particularly challenged.

The stations “have been the gateway for generations of viewers to discover not just Bob’s gentle teaching, but the transformative power of the arts,” Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., said in a statement.

As sought by the Trump administration, Congress has eliminated $1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, leaving about 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations.

Ross died at age 52 of complications from cancer after 11 years in production with the therapeutic how-to show, “The Joy of Painting.” The former Air Force drill sergeant was a sort of pioneer, known for his calm — and calming — manner and encouraging words.

Ross spoke often as he worked on air about painting happy little clouds and trees, and making no mistakes, only “happy accidents.”

He has only became more popular in the decades since his death, and his shows saw a surge in popularity during the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the College Football Playoffs started this week, Miami would qualify for the College Football Playoff — just barely.

Because Miami is currently the top-ranked team in the ACC, the Hurricanes currently project as the No. 11 seed in the playoffs.

The College Football Playoff selection committee moved Miami up to No. 15 in this week’s rankings after putting Miami at No. 18 last week. In the projected bracket, the Hurricanes would travel to play No. 6 Texas Tech in the first round of the playoff.

“We had some teams lose, and again, the conversation with Miami has been about their consistency,” College Football Playoff selection committee chair Mack Rhoades said on ESPN. “Their consistency, especially on offense. They’ve been really, really good on defense. Obviously, the head-to-head with Notre Dame comes up. … All of those things played into it. We’ve got great respect for Miami. When you think about the eye test, they’re really talented, both sides of the ball. Just need to be a little bit more consistent on the offense.”

With two conference losses, the Hurricanes are unlikely to make the ACC title game — though they are not mathematically eliminated yet. Without the bid that would likely come with a conference title, Miami is relying on an at-large spot granted by the committee.

The Hurricanes, who were No. 16 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll after beating Syracuse, close out the year with a game against one ranked team: No. 22 Pittsburgh.

The Panthers play No. 9 Notre Dame this week. The Fighting Irish, who lost to UM in Week 1, are several spots ahead of Miami despite the head-to-head loss and identical records. Last week, Rhoades cited UM’s lack of consistency as a reason why the Hurricanes were ranked so low.

Here are the complete College Football Playoff rankings this week:

1. Ohio State

2. Indiana

3. Texas A&M

4. Alabama

5. Georgia

6. Texas Tech

7. Ole Miss

8. Oregon

9. Notre Dame

10. Texas

11. Oklahoma

12. BYU

13. Utah

14. Vanderbilt

15. Miami

16. Georgia Tech

17. USC

18. Michigan

19. Virginia

20. Louisville

21. Iowa

22. Pittsburgh

23. Tennessee

24. USF

25. Cincinnati

A woman from Central Florida was arrested Tuesday on a warrant in connection with a fiery crash that killed four people on April 21, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Jazmin Shope, 20, of Auburndale in Polk County, is facing four counts of vehicular homicide. She was speeding in a 2013 Ford Taurus shortly before 9 p.m. in the 17900 block of South Military Trail near the entrance to the Polo Club Shops and crashed into the passenger side of a 2017 Genesis G90 as it turned into the shopping plaza, according to a PBSO crash report.

The force of impact forced both cars off the road. The Genesis G90 slammed into a concrete utility pole while the engine compartment of Shope’s Ford caught fire and became engulfed in flames, the report said.

All four people inside the Genesis were pronounced dead at the scene: James Lawrence Rose, 88, of Boca Raton; Arlene Rose, 87, of Boca Raton; Gerald A. Levy, 92, of Boca Raton; and Thelma Illson Levy, 93, of Boca Raton.

Shope and her passenger, Ethan Ryan Litman, 22, of Delray Beach, were both taken to Delray Medical Center with serious injuries, the crash report said.

Shope was booked into the Palm Beach County jail Tuesday afternoon after she was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office’s Fugitive Warrants Unit. The Sheriff’s Office did not provide further information about its investigation or information about where they located Shope on Tuesday.

Court records were not yet available.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox. 

Jazmin Shope, 20, of Polk County, was booked into the Palm Beach County jail on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, on charges stemming from a crash in April that killed four people, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office announced. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office/Courtesy)

General Daily Insight for November 12, 2025

Big ideas want action, yet patience still helps. Early on, the flighty Moon squares the pushy Sun, pulling comfort and purpose apart, which can make us sensitive and defensive. By 6:15 PM EST, clever Mercury boosts courageous Mars, blending thought and drive so we can secure firm decisions that clarify our paths. When we listen before speaking, conversations land better. Small adjustments are more easily made, allowing teamwork to become even more efficient. Firmness and kindness can coexist to build shared goals.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Your map widens when curiosity meets courage. Intellectual Mercury meets action-oriented Mars in your 9th House of Expansion, inviting you to suggest a bold idea to a mentor. Conversations with a faraway friend could spark adventurous plans, while your courage spurs you to take those first steps with clear purpose. Carefully check travel details, because small oversights can slow momentum. Thankfully, a quick call to confirm plans should keep everything moving smoothly. This is your time, Aries, so use it!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Shared spaces benefit from softness today. Your 8th House of Joint Resources takes focus as chatterbox Mercury conjoins passionate Mars, encouraging a talk about bills with someone trusted. Security can be built without too much drama. When money is involved, look for reasonable repayment plans that can be signed off in good faith by everyone. If emotions run hot, don’t hesitate to take breaks as needed. This kindness will protect your shared trust while still honoring your needs. Speak plainly, but with care.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Promises land best when said respectfully. Partnerships may need extra discussions at present, since Mercury and Mars are collaborating in your 7th House of Allies. Once a decision is reached, you should be able to get started quickly! On the other hand, you might need to revisit expectations throughout the process. Being clear about everyone’s needs can reduce exhausting anxieties. Stay curious and ask follow-up questions to catch contradictions before they cause issues. As long as you’re willing to talk, you can make it work.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Small habits will shape your day ahead. Messenger Mercury pairs with ambitious Mars in your 6th House of Health, boosting motivation to clean — don’t worry, not clean your house. You’re tidying your schedule till a workable routine emerges! Remember, you’re allowed to say no when someone asks you for a favor. Watch for overcommitment, and choose a sustainable pace over sprinting. Long-term practicality should let your sensitive system thrive without mood dips or stresses. Aim for steady progress to protect your energy.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Play has real purpose at this time. Your 5th House of Bliss lights up as mischievous Mercury meets passionate Mars, ensuring your words sparkle. Think about going out with friends or family — even last-minute invitations will probably be appreciated. Sharing fun with your circle can help you have even more fun! If someone tries to bring the drama, simply ignore them. You deserve better than petty gossip or purposeless arguments. Share your light bravely, because joy grows when expressed openly.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You deserve a safe home base right now. Let Mercurian logic and Martian strength unite to invigorate your domestic sector — that should make it easier to initiate any repairs that kept getting delayed. Keep an eye out for home issues that need attention, especially in advance of any family gatherings or while discussing issues with roommates. Don’t hurry through it, since changes are more likely to stick when everyone feels included in the process. Lead with patience to craft lasting peace.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Your neighborhood is humming with helpful chatter! Clear messages can do a lot when information-gathering Mercury merges with combative Mars in your 3rd House of Messages. Small talk may turn into big decisions. Whether you’re talking with a roommate or neighbor, direct words can be effective when spoken with grace and calm. If tension rises, make an effort to listen to their complaints genuinely. That should make it easier to meet everyone’s needs. Speak with grace — even if they don’t do the same.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Discussions of money should stay grounded in reality. That fact is highlighted with Mercury and Mars in your financial zone, spurring you to work on a clear plan you can actually maintain. Let them fill you with determination to decide what a project or purchase is worth without losing your head. Don’t let friends tempt you into breaking your budget! They might mean well, but you know what your bank account looks like. When you value your future, you’ll have the strength to resist.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You feel ready to start something brave. Cerebral Mercury merges with warrior Mars to light up your identity, emboldening you to be your truest self. That doesn’t mean everything will be perfect, of course. It’s more of a reminder to listen to yourself. Avoid scattering your energy across the winds — pick a project and stick to it. You can also share your ideas with someone supportive. They can help you transform excitement into clear, doable action. Start small and work up to bigger ambitions.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Quiet time is the best current way to renew your focus. Alert Mercury blends with action-oriented Mars in your 12th House of Release, shepherding you as you untangle once-hidden worries. Even if you aren’t normally the journaling type, writing down the pros and cons of a tough decision can make it much less intimidating. If spirals of worry impact your process, you’re allowed to stop thinking about it for a while. Look for something calming to distract yourself. Protecting your peace will support your future.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Friendship can make magic. Grouping up is encouraged as quick-witted Mercury conjoins enthusiastic Mars in your 11th House of Community. When was the last time you had all your pals together? Consider volunteering to schedule something that works for everyone — it might not happen today, but you can make it happen! Stay flexible when clashing voices make demands. For instance, if one friend only eats steak and another is a lifelong vegan, a potluck might be the best way to have a meal together.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Your current work can prove your confidence! Your 10th House of Status gets a push as talkative Mercury meets combative Mars, inspiring you to claim credit for your recent results. Just remember to soften your tone as necessary while asking for what you need. Being too brusque could make it hard to gain support from a wider audience. Be honest about the timeline of your process, whether this is a personal project or a professional one. They should know that you’re worth it!

For the third day in a row, the Miami Hurricanes added a new player to their 2026 class. And for the second day in a row, it came at the expense of a team that fired its coach.

One day after UM landed edge rusher DeAnthony Lafayette, a former LSU commit who backed off his commitment when the Tigers fired Brian Kelly, the Hurricanes flipped 2026 defensive tackle Isaac Chukwurah from Penn State, which fired James Franklin last month.

Chukwurah is listed as the No. 60 defensive tackle and No. 506 player in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is the No. 2 prospect in the state of Delaware.

The standout defensive tackle, who also had offers from N.C. State, Syracuse and West Virginia, among others, is listed at 6 foot 2 and 265 pounds.

Chukwurah has played both offense and defense in high school, and the Hurricanes staff likes his length, motor and ability to play with violence and resilience, a UM source said. He is strong rushing the passer and stopping the run.

Chukwurah is the seventh defensive lineman in the Hurricanes’ 2026 class and the fourth defensive tackle, joining recent four-star Clemson flip Keshawn Stancil and three-star prospects Anthony Kennedy Jr., Tyson Bacon and Frederic Sainteus.

By PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump boasts that his tariffs protect American industries, lure factories to the United States, raise money for the federal government and give him diplomatic leverage.

Now, he’s claiming they can finance a windfall for American families, too: He’s promising a generous tariff dividend.

The president proposed the idea on his Truth Social media platform Sunday, five days after his Republican Party lost elections in Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere largely because of voter discontent with his economic stewardship — specifically, the high cost of living.

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The tariffs are bringing in so much money, the president posted, that “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.’’

Budget experts scoffed at the idea, which conjured memories of the Trump administration’s short-lived plan for DOGE dividend checks financed by billionaire Elon Musk’s federal budget cuts.

“The numbers just don’t check out,″ said Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

Details are scarce, including what the income limits would be and whether payments would go to children.

Even Trump’s treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, sounded a bit blindsided by the audacious dividend plan. Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Bessent said he hadn’t discussed the dividend with the president and suggested that it might not mean that Americans would get a check from the government. Instead, Bessent said, the rebate might take the form of tax cuts.

The tariffs are certainly raising money — $195 billion in the budget year that ended Sept. 30, up 153% from $77 billion in fiscal 2024. But they still account for less than 4% of federal revenue and have done little to dent the federal budget deficit — a staggering $1.8 trillion in fiscal 2025.

Budget wonks say Trump’s dividend math doesn’t work.

John Ricco, an analyst with the Budget Lab at Yale University, reckons that Trump’s tariffs will bring in $200 billion to $300 billion a year in revenue. But a $2,000 dividend — if it went to all Americans, including children — would cost $600 billion. “It’s clear that the revenue coming in would not be adequate,” he said.

Ricco also noted that Trump couldn’t just pay the dividends on his own. They would require legislation from Congress.

Moreover, the centerpiece of Trump’s protectionist trade policies — double-digit taxes on imports from almost every country in the world — may not survive a legal challenge that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a hearing last week, the justices sounded skeptical about the Trump administration’s assertion of sweeping power to declare national emergencies to justify the tariffs. Trump has bypassed Congress, which has authority under the Constitution to levy taxes, including tariffs.

If the court strikes down the tariffs, the Trump administration may be refunding money to the importers who paid them, not sending dividend checks to American families. (Trump could find other ways to impose tariffs, even if he loses at the Supreme Court; but it could be cumbersome and time-consuming.)

Mainstream economists and budget analysts note that tariffs are paid by U.S. importers who then generally try to pass along the cost to their customers through higher prices.

The dividend plan “misses the mark,” the Tax Foundation’s York said. ”If the goal is relief for Americans, just get rid of the tariffs.’’

Paul Tagliabue died this past weekend. The former NFL commissioner was influential and successful in helping America’s favorite league navigate enormous change with profitable leaps and bounds.

It’s necessary to say that here, at the top, because this column isn’t an ode or obituary to Tagliabue. This is about an admittedly trivial, personal and recurring question that comes in the aftermath of some sports figures’ deaths:

Do I keep his name on my phone?

My cell phone is a graveyard as I grow older. Tagliabue is a swipe from “Shula,” the Miami Dolphins legend who also never needed a first name on my phone. Don Shula also is another swipe from a couple of other Dolphins of different eras, safety Jake Scott and coach Tony Sparano.

They’ve all been gone for years, meaning these phone numbers serve no purpose. There are some people’s numbers you haven’t tried in so many years you’re not sure if they’re good anymore. That’s not the case here.

Still, I don’t delete them. I keep them for some reason. And sometimes scrolling through my phone is like strolling through a cemetery.

I see a name and remember sitting with Shula at his home office talking about the alligator that players put in his office shower or sitting beside Scott at a bar in Kauai with two native Hawaiians, who sat in those same seats a few years later for the George Clooney movie, “The Descendants.”

“They didn’t call me for the movie!” Scott said.

Such stories come from the phone. Sparano, who died in 2017, called me a couple years after he left the Dolphins when he was the Oakland Raiders’ line coach.

“Dave, where’s the game film?” he said.

“Tony, what?”

“The game film,’’ he said.

I said who he’d called. He asked once more for the game film. Then it hit him. He typed my name by mistake on the phone

“We had a late game last night,’’ he said, before adding, quietly, “How’re you doing?”

There are 23 numbers I carry around in my phone that can’t be called anymore. Some, like Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, I never called, because his tragic fatal boat crash came before a call was ever made.

Others, like former Florida Panthers president Bill Torrey or football coach Howard Schnellenberger, lived long and successful lives in the sports they loved and were nice enough to share their wealth of information.

“Let me help educate you …” Torrey would say.

When I was young and just beginning, I figured the sports world would be full of people like Torrey and Schnellenberger and Shula. But you realize at some point they’re the rare ones you were lucky just to pass in the hall.

“You don’t miss someone until it’s too late,’’ my first Sun Sentinel sports editor, Fred Turner, would say.

His lines remain in my head, like his number in my phone nearly 15 years after his death. Same with another former colleague, Juan Rodriguez. It’s not like their names are a daily sight. How often do you have to scroll through your listings to find something? Every few months? Maybe twice a year?

Maybe this is why these names were never deleted. Maybe these occasional walks though the graveyard matter, even if their numbers don’t. It’s not like the phone will light up with their name calling me as they once did, either.

“I’ve got a story for you,’’ Dolphins great Mercury Morris said in one of his final calls. He didn’t just want to clear his name from a drug charge decades earlier. He wanted to expose the legal officials who brought the charges.

He died last year before we talked fully about it. Many were just part of the job, like the number for Tagliabue. I introduced myself after he talked at a Super Bowl. He gave his office number, and we talked a few months later about a project that never happened  about running a sports league.

“Every day behind that desk brings something you didn’t expect,’’ he said at one point.

That’s why I don’t delete his or any names from my phone. It’s an odd and trivial issue with age. But my phone is a cemetery I occasionally visit.