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By not shutting empty schools, School Board blinks | Letters to the editor
The Broward School Board considered proposals this week to close or re-purpose only five under-enrolled schools.
There are 45,000 empty seats, equivalent to a staggering 50 schools. School Board members must remember that their constituents are not only public school students and their parents, but Broward taxpayers as well.
I gladly paid $4,568.83 in school taxes last year without any school-age children with the hopes that our children well-educated. As guardians of our tax dollars, School Board members have an obligation to maintain and improve education. Closing and re-purposing, selling, or leasing under-enrolled schools accomplish that goal. Students are promised a free public education — not an education at a specific school.
Kudos to Board Member Allen Zeman, who continues to press to close these under-enrolled schools and divert dollars to educating our kids instead of running empty schools. On the other end of the spectrum, Board Chair Debbie Hixon claims the board would lose community trust by closing several schools at once. She has it all wrong: Taxpayers and voters will have more trust in the Board for spending our money wisely.
Board members should understand that voters and taxpayers will have their eyes on our elected school officials to ensure that they wisely and prudently spend our money so that the children are educated in the best possible environment with the best possible resources. Money saved from closing under-enrolled schools will go a long way toward accomplishing this goal.
Howard A. Tescher, Fort Lauderdale
Putting profits over peopleFormer President Joe Biden’s farewell address to the nation on Jan. 15 revealed a hard truth: The growing concentration of wealth and power undermines the foundation of democracy.
In Florida, this reality is felt deeply. Families are burdened by rising housing costs, limited health care access and shrinking educational opportunities, and by those in power who too often prioritize profits over people.
The Financial Stability Board’s warning about climate change destabilizing global markets adds urgency. Florida has experienced this first-hand.
Hurricane Idalia’s devastation in August 2023 exposed the harsh reality that environmental disasters disproportionately harm working families and the most vulnerable among us.
The Florida Climate Resilience Act is a step forward. By holding corporations accountable and investing in renewable energy and disaster preparedness, we can strengthen our communities and protect future generations.
This isn’t just about responding to crises. It’s also about building a Florida where fairness, opportunity and resilience are not ideals, but realities for every family.
Lousindy Mitton, Hollywood
Patel unqualified for FBINo to Kash Patel for FBI director.
He is dangerous and unfit for the office to which he has been nominated. Applicants for any job should be qualified, and if not, then they should not even be considered. America is too vital for all these ridiculously shallow nominations. No to Kash Patel!
T Lynn Millard, Plantation
Their money’s worthRe: Two prominent Broward dog fighters arrested; FBI finds over 40 wounded dogs, news article, Jan. 18
To really make dog fighting the sport that dog fighters love, let’s put the two men running the operation into the ring with the dogs.
Lovers of blood and guts would certainly get their money’s worth.
Tina Borowsky, Boynton Beach
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Today in History: January 26, Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna and 7 others die in helicopter crash
Today is Sunday, Jan. 26, the 26th day of 2025. There are 339 days left in the year.
Today in history:On Jan. 26, 2020, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed when their helicopter plunged into a steep hillside in dense morning fog in Southern California; the former Lakers star was 41.
Also on this date:In 1887, groundbreaking began for the construction of the Eiffel Tower; the tower would be completed just over two years later.
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In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act establishing Rocky Mountain National Park.
In 1950, the Constitution of India took effect, making the country the world’s largest democratic republic.
In 1993, Václav Havel (VAHTS’-lahv HAH’-vel) was elected president of the newly formed Czech Republic.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton forcefully denied having an affair with a former White House intern, telling reporters, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
In 2023, Israeli forces killed at least nine Palestinians and wounded several others in a large-scale raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the deadliest single operation in the territory in two decades.
Today’s birthdays:- Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 96.
- Activist Angela Davis is 81.
- Actor David Strathairn (streh-THEHRN’) is 76.
- Football Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood is 75.
- Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is 72.
- Singer Anita Baker is 67.
- Actor-comedian Ellen DeGeneres is 67.
- Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is 64.
- Musician Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) is 62.
- Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 55.
- Basketball Hall of Famer Vince Carter is 48.
- Actor Joseph Quinn is 31.
Aaron Ekblad scores in return from injury in the Panthers’ 7-2 rout of the Sharks
By ERIC HE
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from an upper-body injury and the Florida Panthers routed the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Saturday night.
Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists, and Nate Schmidt, Sam Bennett, A.J. Greer, Jesper Boqvist and Sam Reinhart also scored. Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves.
Florida outscored San Jose 4-0 in the second period, extending a 3-2 lead into a blowout.
Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks. They have lost six straight and 10 of 11.
Greer put the Panthers up 4-2 early in the second, chasing goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who was replaced by Yaroslav Askarov. Tkachuk, Boqvist and Reinhart promptly added goals to give the Panthers a 7-2 lead heading into the third.
The Panthers led 3-2 after the first period with Ekblad, who returned to Florida’s top defensive pairing after missing eight of the last nine games, giving the Panthers the lead.
TakeawaysPanthers: The Panthers tied a season high with the seven goals, and responded after scoring just one goal Wednesday night in a loss to the Kings.
Sharks: They have allowed at least five goals in each of the last three games. They’ve given up the most goals in the NHL this season.
Key momentSharks coach Ryan Warsofsky pulled Georgiev three minutes into the second period, but any hope of a goaltending switch sparking the club from a 4-2 deficit was quickly extinguished when the Panthers scored three times the rest of the period.
Key statThe Panthers had their fourth four-goal second of the season.
Up nextThe Panthers are Vegas on Sunday night. The Sharks host Pittsburgh on Monday night.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Cal withstands Cleveland’s heroics, topples visiting Miami in OT
BERKELEY, Calif. — Jeremiah Wilkinson scored a career-high 30 points, DJ Campbell added a season-best 22 points and California beat Miami 98-94 in overtime on Saturday night.
Miami’s Matthew Cleveland took an inbound pass with 4.6 seconds left and then hit a contested 3-pointer with one second remaining to force the extra period tied 79-all.
Campbell scored six points in a 9-2 surge to give Cal an 88-81 lead. The Golden Bears stretched it to 94-86 with 24 seconds left, but A.J. Staton-McCray hit consecutive 3s to pull Miami within 95-92 before the Bears sealed it from the foul line.
Cal (11-9, 4-5 ACC) has won three straight while Miami (4-16, 0-9) extended its losing streak to nine.
Wilkinson was 10 of 22 from the floor, made 9 of 10 free throws but hit just 1 of 10 from distance. Campbell was 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line. The Bears shot 49% (31 of 63) overall and made 27 of 36 (75%) free throws.
Cleveland finished with 30 points and eight rebounds to lead Miami. Brandon Johnson scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Hurricanes.
In Wednesday games, Cal plays at SMU while Miami hosts Virginia.
__ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Heat move back to .500 with a 106-97 win over Nets
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Despite estranged star Jimmy Butler serving the second half of his two-game suspension back in Miami, the Heat snapped their recent skid with a 106-97 win over the scuffling Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Saturday.
“We had a great meeting yesterday,” forward Bam Adebayo said. “It translated to a win, obviously. You get on the road, get away from chaos. You just really get to focus in and lock in. I feel like this was a great win for us. We really needed it, obviously. Now we just keep the same energy and keep moving forward.”
The Heat (22-22) got out to an early lead in the first quarter, with Tyler Herro pacing the team with eight first-quarter points. Miami was the beneficiary of Brooklyn starting off cold as the Nets missed their first eight 3-point attempts while the Heat made four of their first six.
The lid came off the basket for the Nets in the second half, as they drained six threes in the second quarter and cut Miami’s one-time 11-point lead to five entering the half.
After a long halftime ceremony where the Nets (14-32) retired Vince Carter’s No. 15, the Heat came out slow. Miami scored just eight points in the first six minutes of the third quarter, allowing Brooklyn to tie the game at 61.
Luckily for the struggling Heat, Miami responded to Brooklyn evening the score with a 7-0 run of its own. The Heat rolled to a 21-7 run to end the third quarter, taking an 82-68 lead into the fourth quarter. Miami kept Brooklyn at bay for the final 12 minutes as it closed out the win.
“I think the thing that changed for us was body language,” Adebayo said. “We talk about it. When a team makes a run, our body language gets in the way, and that’s kind of the effect of it. It’s a competition. Teams see how our body language looks. That’s a weapon. So for us, it’s fixing our body language. Obviously, we did that.”
The Heat had five double-digit scorers Saturday. Among the starters, Tyler Herro paced the team with 25 points, while Adebayo had 17 and Duncan Robinson notched 15. Nikola Jovic and Terry Rozier added 17 and 16 off the bench, respectively.
“Coach trusts me,” Rozier said. “I think the guys trust me and stuff like that. Still just trying to find my areas I can be most effective and help the team and stuff like that. Just glad we got the win.”
Five degrees of Heat from Saturday’s game1. Herro ball: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before Saturday’s game that he does not typically lobby for his players to make the All-Star Game. But Herro continued to make a strong case for himself in Saturday’s game.
The standout guard had 25 points, eight assists and two steals against the Nets. However, he did have five turnovers.
2. Turnover woes: Miami struggled to hang onto the ball, turning the ball over 10 times in the first half and ending the game with 21 turnovers.
“We had some careless turnovers,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Pretty inefficient in terms of taking care of the ball.”
The Nets scored 26 points off Heat turnovers. Miami forced 15 turnovers and scored 11 points on them.
3. Losing leads: For the second game in a row, the Heat had a double-digit lead they could not hang on to.
After Miami led by as many as 11 points in the first half, Brooklyn caught up in the third quarter, knotting the game at 61 about halfway through the third quarter.
This time, losing the lead did not come back to haunt the Heat. They rolled in the second half of the third quarter and seized control.
4. Big men: Miami’s starting big men, Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, began the game slowly, but Adebayo had a solid second half and helped propel the Heat.
Adebayo closed the game with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, while Ware had seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.
The pair did well on the boards. Adebayo had 16 rebounds — notching his third straight double-double — and Ware had six. They helped Miami out-rebound Brooklyn 51-35.
5. Long halftime: Both teams had to wait far longer than the usual 15-minute halftime to get back on the court on Saturday night. The Nets retired Hall of Famer Vince Carter’s No. 15 in a halftime ceremony that included a speech by Julius Erving and Carter himself, as well as messages from former Nets stars Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson.
The result was a halftime that lasted more than 40 minutes, and both teams struggled to start the half. Nearly three minutes of game time elapsed before either team scored a field goal in the second half.
“It’s about time we’re on the other end of it,” Spoelstra said. “I feel like we’ve had several games where we’re up at halftime and we’re celebrating something — which is amazing about our organization — and then we get thumped in the second half. It was good to be on the other side of it and also acknowledge a great career and just a first-class human being in Vince Carter.”
Daily Horoscope for January 25, 2025
There’s no single path to healing. The sympathetic Moon comforts injured healer Chiron to open us up to recovery, both emotionally and physically. As the Moon then stumbles over perfectionist Venus, we must accept that growth is not a straight line. There will be backslides as well as progress in our paths. Lastly, Venus trines driven Mars at 6:54 pm EST to bring in support and positivity from our loved ones, both motivating us and putting us at ease. There’s nothing we can’t do!
AriesMarch 21 – April 19
You can’t always heal alone. While you may be trying to restore yourself, you shouldn’t avoid any aid that others are willing to give you. They might not be as forthcoming with their help as you’d prefer, but if you reach out to them and ask, they may be ready to provide this assistance. They could even have gone through something similar in the past. Their experience will be valuable when it comes to the parts of your thoughts that you don’t understand.
TaurusApril 20 – May 20
You might not even know that you need repairs. Other people might see your frustration before you notice it yourself, but they can’t tell you what the source of your frustration truly is. There is something in your life that needs to be addressed, and without assistance, you may not be able to fully address it. Leaning on your loved ones and tapping into your friendships should allow you to rebalance the scales and eliminate this frustration. Don’t be afraid of facing what’s wrong.
GeminiMay 21 – June 20
Friendships can currently be a safe haven from stress. The stress that you’re feeling might be because you have taken on too much, or perhaps you’re trying to be everything to everyone — regardless, it’s just not sustainable. It’s understandable that you may want to be superhuman, but the truth is, you are as human as everyone else. It may be time for you to reassess what you’re reasonably able to accomplish and what’s draining you. You can’t be in two places at once.
CancerJune 21 – July 22
Your love and friendship make more of a difference than you realize. Others may seem incredibly focused on their own lives right now, but they appreciate you more than you know. It can be difficult to feel relevant or helpful in times when you feel as though you’re being shut out, but this is more about them than it is about you. It’s okay to simply wait with patience. Keep yourself healthy, ready, and willing to help if they ask for it.
LeoJuly 23 – August 22
There may be someone who wants to be there for you without you even realizing. They might have never expressed their appreciation for you, or you might not have allowed them to. If you give them a chance, you may be positively surprised by their response. Don’t let personal pride keep you walled off from the pride of loved ones you deserve as a Lion! If you don’t want others to express themselves around you, you won’t know the care that’s on their mind.
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22
Let the achievements of others motivate you! Instead of negatively comparing yourself to other people in your life, especially partners, family, and friends, you’ll be much happier when their successes inspire you to do more with your own life. Happiness is a far healthier motivator than resentment, after all. When you’re in their audience cheering them on, they become that much more likely to be in your audience cheering you on in the future. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to grow.
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22
Mentors are not your enemy. You may be receiving some tough love that you weren’t expecting from someone that you look up to, which can be stressful when you’re accustomed to more positive or optimistic encouragement. Being surrounded with yes people will lead you to make mistakes that you never could have seen coming. Those who are willing to offer constructive criticism instead of lying and saying everything you do is perfect could actually value you more. Just be honest in return.
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21
Let your relationships with others teach you about yourself. The way that they show up for you and vice versa deserves some analysis. If one of you is supporting the other much more, or if neither of you are championing each other, then reevaluations need to take place. However, if you are showing up for each other and consistently sharpening each other’s minds, you could have found someone that can stay in your life for good. Find out who is really in your corner.
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21
You don’t have to put your feelings on display. While you may be able to tap into personal resources, you don’t have to explain every detail of your emotional journey. If you do, you risk being criticized by those who don’t truly understand what it has taken for you to get where you are. Those who are truly there for you should already be supporting you. For now, be thankful for what you have, and show gratitude to those who helped you get here.
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19
Prioritize healing. You may have a tendency to try and put your head down and work in times where you feel stressed or emotional, pushing uncomfortable feelings away for another day. However, this can lead to outbursts, with stress potentially being unleashed on someone who doesn’t deserve the brunt of your emotional explosion. It’s time to sit down with your emotions and figure out why you’re feeling what you’re feeling, and then to feel them. Once you’ve done this, you should feel much lighter.
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 18
Those who are with you every day might show up for you very soon. Maybe you thought that these people were only around you because they had to be, or because you had a shared task, but there are those who truly value you as a person. They could prove themselves when you call on someone else who was either unwilling or unable to come to your aid when you needed them. Allow the person that you least expect to be your saving grace.
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20
Have fun with those who value you. Look out for the temptation to impress those that you don’t even like, just because you believe you should prove to them that you are worth liking. The truth is, there are already people who like you for who you are and enjoy spending time with you — and they’re the ones who deserve your attention. Lay out your social priorities by noting those who’ve been fans of yours all along, rather than unnecessary critics. Then party on!
Former UCF assistant Ted Roof files breach of contract lawsuit against school
Former UCF defensive coordinator Ted Roof has filed a lawsuit against the UCF Athletics Association, claiming a breach of contract.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Orange County on Friday, claims that the school adjusted his termination compensation after head coach Gus Malzahn resigned. Roof is seeking over $50,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit.
Jamie Seh of WKMG-TV was the first to report the lawsuit.
Roof joined Malzahn’s coaching staff on Jan. 17, 2024, after serving as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2022-23. He signed a two-year contract with the school that paid him a base salary of $400,000 in 2024 and $750,000 in 2025.
The contract was highly incentive-laden, with bonuses available if the team achieved certain milestones, such as winning a conference championship or playing in a bowl game.
Malzahn fired Roof on Oct. 28 following the Knights’ 37-24 loss to BYU and was presented a formal termination letter. He was replaced by Addison Williams, who served as co-defensive coordinator.
According to the lawsuit, Roof’s contract stipulated that in the event of termination, “… The amount due to Employee for remainder of term shall be the balance due of the base salary and bonuses earned but not yet paid, to be paid in accordance with normal Athletics payroll procedures, and shall be reduced by any subsequent employment compensation. … “
UCF basketball aims to end losing streak when it faces TCU Saturday
The lawsuit states that Roof is entitled to the remainder of his base salary of $400,000 for the 2024 season and $750,000 for the 2025 season.
Malzahn resigned on Nov. 30, 33 days after Roof was terminated without cause.
According to the lawsuit, Roof received a letter from UCF on Dec. 6, notifying him that UCF was “retroactively applying the terms of Employment Agreement relating to the resignation Gus Malzahn as Head Football Coach.”
The provision that UCF was basing its argument on stated that: “In the event of the resignation of Gus Malzahn as Head Football Coach, this agreement may be terminated and the employee shall be entitled to receive 90 days of pay at the seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) annual rate, effective as of the resignation date of the Head Football Coach.”
The lawsuit states that the provision is meaningless because it only applies if the school still employed Roof at Malzahn’s resignation. The school’s claim is inapplicable because Roof’s termination occurred 39 days before that event.
Winter Park attorney Victor Chapman of Barrett, Chapman and Ruta, PA, represents Roof.
When contacted by the Sentinel, a UCF athletics spokesperson said UCFAA has not yet been served with a formal complaint and since it’s a legal issue, the department would have no comment at this time.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
Amid recent cold nights, a look back to when it snowed in South Florida
This past week’s cold snap — with images of snow in north Florida — has stirred memories of that moment decades ago when South Florida itself experienced a rare snow show.
The last time it snowed in South Florida was Jan. 19, 1977, when residents saw flurries as far south as Homestead.
At the time, official weather observers reported snow in LaBelle, West Palm Beach and Hollywood. Even Freeport in the Bahamas reported a snow-rain mix.
“It’s only happened one time in recorded history, so it’s extremely rare,” George Rizzuto, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Prior to 1977, the farthest south snow had been observed was along a line between Fort Myers and Fort Pierce in February 1899, according to the weather service.
West Palm Beach has seen temperatures drop to 26 degrees several times since 1888, and Fort Lauderdale’s coldest day occurred in January 1977, the same cold snap that brought snow flurries.
The Fort Lauderdale News’s edition on Jan. 19, 1977, reported on the rare snow that fell over South Florida.Through the years, South Florida also has seen significant drops in temperature: One of the most severe and long-lasting cold events of South Florida’s recorded history happened in 2010.
In West Palm Beach, the temperature averaged 49.9 degrees for 12 days straight, the lowest on record for any 12-day period. And it was the longest recorded stretch of lows at or below 45 degrees — 12 days.
In Fort Lauderdale, the cold event tied the record of 12 straight days of lows below 50 degrees.
People play in the middle of the snow on Jan. 21, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images).So far this year, the chilliest weather of the season is forecast to reach South Florida overnight Friday night into early Saturday, with feels-like temperatures dropping to the 30s and 40s. Western suburbs such as Wellington are forecast to have actual temperatures fall into the upper 30s and wind-chill temperatures as low as 31. Even farther west, where Palm Beach County borders the Big Cypress Seminole Tribe Reservation, there should be wind chill temperatures of 30 degrees.
Jan 24, 3PM – With wind chill temps dropping to the 30s and 40s overnight, there is now a Cold Weather Advisory in effect for: Glades, Hendry, Collier and inland Palm Beach counties from 2-8AM Saturday morning
Stay warm and remember to bring any plants or pets inside!
Officials warn of scam texts about unpaid SunPass tolls. Here’s what to know.
If you recently got a text from an unknown number warning you about unpaid SunPass tolls, officials want you to know it was probably a scam.
“Smishing,” or SMS phishing, is when fraudsters try to obtain your personal information through a text message. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the text might include a dollar amount for how much you supposedly owe, as well as a link.
Clicking the link will take you to a page to enter your bank account or credit card information.
“SunPass wants to remind customers to be careful of text messages or other communications that demand immediate payment for unpaid toll balances,“ the Florida Department of Transportation, which runs the electronic toll collection system, wrote in an advisory on its website. “These messages often pressure customers to make a quick payment to avoid late fees and include a link to a fake website to collect personal information.”
If you receive one of the messages, the transportation department says not to click the link. Instead, log in to your account on sunpass.com to check your balance. SunPass only contacts customers through customerservice@sunpass.com, noreply@sunpass.com or via text at 786727.
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To recognize a smishing scam, look out for the following:
— Unknown or hidden numbers. Sometimes scammers are hiding their identity, but they can also spoof a local number to make it look authentic.
— False claims about problems with your payment information.
— Fake invoices with instructions to contact them.
— Requests for personal information, such as your name, address, Social Security number or credit card details.
— Alarming messages that create a sense of panic.
“The common thread in these scams is that they often demand immediate payment,” the transportation department’s advisory said. “By forcing you to act quickly, you are less likely to question the request. Don’t be rushed.”
If you receive a suspected smishing message, here’s what to do:
— Never click links or call numbers you don’t recognize.
— Do not respond to messages, even if they ask you to “text STOP” to end messages.
— Report the message to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. You can also use your phone’s “report junk” feature or forward the message to 7726 (SPAM).
— Delete all suspicious texts.
— Keep your phone’s operating system and security apps updated.
To help cut down on scam messages and calls, the Federal Trade Commission recommends using filters or call-blocking apps. Many email providers have spam filters turned on by default, but if unwanted messages get into your inbox, mark them as spam or junk.
You can also unsubscribe from unwanted emails. Doing so reduces the risk of clicking links that can lead to phishing attacks, according to the FTC.
©2025 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
US Justice Department drops case against Texas doctor charged with leaking transgender care data
By JAMIE STENGLE
DALLAS (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Friday dropped the case against a Texas doctor who called himself a whistleblower on transgender care for minors and was accused of illegally obtaining private information on patients who weren’t under his care.
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Prosecutors had said that Haim, a 34-year-old surgeon, took the information and shared it with a conservative activist with “intent to cause malicious harm” to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, one of the nation’s largest pediatric hospitals.
Haim pleaded not guilty in June to four counts of wrongfully obtaining individually identifiable health information, saying outside the courthouse that he had “done nothing wrong.”
“We’re going to fight this tooth and nail, stand up for whistleblowers everywhere,” Haim said in June.
Ryan Patrick, one of Haim’s attorneys, said the dismissal speaks to the veracity of their case, and they “’are very happy for Dr. Haim and his family that this ordeal is finally over.”
Haim works in the Dallas area but had previously worked at Texas Children’s Hospital as part of his residency. The indictment alleged that Haim asked to reactivate his login there and in 2023 began accessing information on pediatric patients not under his care and then turned it over to a media contact.
Haim has publicly identified himself as the person who gave the information about patients at Texas Children’s to a conservative activist, who published a story that the hospital was providing transgender care for minors in secret.
At the time, transgender care for minors was legal in Texas, but the hospital had announced in 2022 that it would stop would stop gender-affirming care. A ban in Texas on transgender care for minors went into effect in September 2023.
Texas Children’s said in a statement Friday that they “defer to and respect” the Justice Department’s decisions in the case. In previous statements, hospital officials said its doctors have always provided care within the law.
Haim, who had been released on bond, faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
Trump leans in on targeting Russian oil revenue as he tries to fulfill pledge to end Ukraine war
By AAMER MADHANI and JENNIFER McDERMOTT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is emphasizing that targeting Russia’s oil revenue is the best way to get Moscow to end its nearly three-year war against Ukraine.
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The president on Friday renewed his call on the group of oil producing exporters, led by Saudi Arabia, to reduce the price of oil. It’s a move he says would bleed Russia of much needed revenue to pay for the conflict and force Vladimir Putin to reconsider the war.
“One way to stop it quickly is for OPEC to stop making so much money,” Trump told reporters. “So, OPEC ought to get on the ball and drop the price of oil. And that war will stop right away.”
But the push on OPEC+ is an uphill battle, according to industry experts. The alliance last month put off increasing oil production as it faces weaker than expected demand and competing production from non-allied countries.
Trump made similar calls on OPEC+ this week during a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the annual gathering of world leaders and corporate elites.
Meanwhile, the president’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said Friday that OPEC+ cutting oil prices to $45 per barrel could push Russia to end the war.
“Russia is gaining billions of dollars of money from oil sales,” Kellogg said in a Fox News interview. “What if you drop that to $45 a barrel, which is basically a baseline break-even point?”
The Saudi and Russian relationship is complicated, though the countries have cooperated on oil.
In 2016, Russia and other oil producers that weren’t part of the alliance joined with Saudi Arabia and other members of the oil cartel to form OPEC+. Russia and Saudi Arabia are by far the biggest producers in the expanded alliance. That move was largely made in response to dramatically falling oil prices due to U.S. shale oil output. The United States is not a member of OPEC or OPEC+.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said Trump has a better relationship with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, than did his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. Still, he said, the Saudis “still have bills to pay,” and Trump is making a “huge ask.”
“Oil companies respond to economics and not to personal favors,” he added.
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed the idea that Russia could be pressed into talks on ending the war by the U.S. and its allies targeting the oil sector.
“The conflict doesn’t depend on oil prices,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call with reporters. “The conflict is ongoing because of the threat to Russia’s national security, the threat to Russians living on those territories and the refusal by the Americans and the Europeans to listen to Russia’s security concerns. It’s not linked to oil prices.”
The U.S. and its allies have imposed a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil. But Moscow has been able to sustain a steady stream of revenue from sales by relying on buyers, including China and India, who have taken advantage of discounted prices from the Russians.
Trump earlier this week spoke by phone with the Saudi crown prince, his first foreign leader call after his return to the White House. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to comment on whether the two leaders discussed Trump’s push for slashing oil prices.
After the call, the crown prince said the kingdom would look to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, and Trump publicly said he’d like to see the Saudis spend $1 trillion. Trump is also hopeful for landing a long sought Israel-Saudi Arabia normalization deal, to formalize relations between the Middle East’s two biggest powers.
Trump may be making a risky gambit by publicly pressing the Saudis and other OPEC+ nations.
Biden, who was critical of the Saudis’ human rights record early in his term, faced an embarrassing setback months into the Ukraine war when the Saudis rejected the Democrat’s public push to increase the global flow of oil.
Asked why Trump could succeed where Biden failed, Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, offered confidence but no specifics. “The Biden administration said a lot of things that never actually came to fruition, and President Trump is a man of his word,” she said. “You’re seeing that already.”
It’s possible that Saudi Arabia and other allies would want to answer Washington’s call eventually, but not immediately, said Kevin Book, the managing director who leads the research team at ClearView Energy Partners LLC, a Washington research firm.
Global oil supply is currently ahead of demand by about 700,000 barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency, a surplus that already weighs on the price. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, was trading at about $78 on Friday morning. Book said whether Trump will have better luck than Biden depends on his terms — what he asks for and what pressure he brings.
“What Biden was essentially asking for was going to divide the two biggest players in OPEC+ and that’s essentially what’s on the table right now, too,” he said. “It was challenging then. It would be challenging now.”
Kellogg said Trump feels strongly that drumming up economic pressure will be more useful to getting Russia to the negotiating table than helping Ukraine score battlefield wins.
Both sides have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties. Kellogg expressed doubt that the incredible human cost would have much impact on the Kremlin’s calculations.
“This is a nation that was willing to lose 700,000 killed in six months at Stalingrad in World War II. They just throw troops at it,” Kellogg said. He added, “So when you look at Putin, you can’t just say, ‘Well, stop the killing,’ because candidly, that’s not their mentality, that’s not how they do things.”
Criticism of Biden’s handling of the Ukraine conflict was a cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 campaign. He regularly pilloried Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the enormous amount of military aid poured into Ukraine in the aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
He boasted on the campaign trail that the war would have never happened if he were president and that he would end the war within 24 hours of being sworn in.
Since his election victory, he’s acknowledged that the war remains complicated and has said it could take months to find a resolution to the war.
In a posting on his Truth Social site, Trump earlier this week said the U.S “must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War.” And he’s repeatedly said that he will hold talks with Putin.
“I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon and get that war … ended,” Trump said at Davos. “And that’s not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. It’s from the standpoint of millions of lives are being wasted. Beautiful, young people are being shot in the battlefield.”
McDermott reported from Providence, Rhode Island. AP writer Will Weissert traveling aboard Air Force One contributed reporting.
Dolphins bringing in experienced assistant as new wide receivers coach
The Miami Dolphins have their next position coach who will be tasked with getting Tyreek Hill’s unit in order.
Experienced NFL assistant coach Robert Prince is being hired by the Dolphins as wide receivers coach, according to a league source, confirming the initial NFL Network report.
Prince, who comes over after spending the last three seasons in the same role with the Dallas Cowboys, was first reported by ESPN on Thursday as interviewing for the job during the week.
Miami had a vacancy for the position after firing former wide receiver Wes Welker following his third season controlling the unit under coach Mike McDaniel.
It was an underwhelming 2024 season for Dolphins wide receivers, with Hill falling short of 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2019 and Jaylen Waddle missing the mark for the first time in his four-year professional career in Miami.
To add to that, Hill had a falling out with the organization following the team’s loss to the New York Jets in its season finale and elimination that same night. He indicated he wanted out from the team, but his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has since said Hill is committed to the Dolphins. General manager Chris Grier said at his season wrap-up press conference that he had a productive conversation with Hill in the days that followed the post-game outburst, and that the troubled wideout never requested a trade with him.
Prince, 59, has coached college and professional football since 1989. In the last three seasons with the Cowboys, he has had star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb under his tutelage.
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He was with the Houston Texans in the same role in 2021 and led Detroit Lions wide receivers from 2014 to 2020, even acting as head coach for a game during the COVID-19 pandemic, when interim Lions head coach Darrell Bevell, who is now Miami’s quarterbacks coach, was out for a game due to COVID.
Prince has had various other assistant coaching roles on the offensive side of the ball with the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons, along with a number of college coaching stints.
The Dolphins also have an opening at special teams coordinator, after parting ways with Danny Crossman, who previously held that title.
Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver completed an interview with the New Orleans Saints for their head coaching vacancy on Friday. If Weaver lands that job, the Dolphins could have a complete makeover on the defensive side of their coaching staff, as Weaver would likely take several assistants with him. If Weaver returns, continuity could be expected on the Dolphins defensive staff.
Last 4 escaped monkeys are captured in South Carolina after months on the loose
YEMASSEE, S.C. (AP) — Authorities in South Carolina said Friday the last four of 43 escaped monkeys have been recaptured after two months living in the woods, weathering a rare snowstorm and being temped back into captivity by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
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The recaptured monkeys appeared to be in good health, Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard said in a statement relayed by Yemassee Police in a social media post, without further details.
While they were on the loose, the area saw its first snow in seven years, accumulating up to 3 inches (8 centimeters).
The rhesus macaques made a break for it on Nov. 6, and mostly hung around near the facility. They’re about the size of a cat, weighing roughly 7 pounds (3 kilograms).
It appears a worker unintentionally left the gates unlocked when the monkeys escaped, Westergaard said in November. Workers were supposed to lock and latch one gate before opening another, but all three gates and latches were left unsecure.
The monkeys posed no risk to public health, said Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police.
Alpha Guard employees kept an eye on the monkeys and set out humane traps. Most were lured back with food and were given peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and “monkey biscuits” — a high-protein Purina Monkey Chow specially formulated for the rhesus macaques.
The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical facilities and other researchers. Humans have been using the monkeys for scientific research since the late 1800s. Scientists believe rhesus macaques and humans split from a common ancestor about 25 million years ago and share about 93% of the same DNA.
The compound is about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee and about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia.
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