Florida
Florida Gators Secure Nation’s No. 1 OL from Transfer Portal
USC transfer offensive lineman Jason Zandamela, who is widely regarded as one of the top available transfers in the nation, has committed to the Florida Gators.
A true freshman, Zandamela (6 foot 3 inches, 305 pounds) will have all four years of eligibility remaining. Prior to his enrollment at USC, he was a consensus four-star and was considered the No. 1 interior offensive line recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals. He was the Trojans’ highest-rated signee of the 2024 class.
Reports on April 11 indicated that he would be leaving the USC football program, and he officially announced his entrance into the portal on April 16.
“I don’t want to speak for him, but he’s got a very unique background and that played a large part in this,” said USC head coach Lincoln Riley at the time of the initial report.
Zandamela originally is from Mozambique and spent his high school football career at Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International. He recently took an official visit to Florida from April 26 through April 28 after previously visiting UCF.
Zandamela’s commitment fills a major position of need on the interior offensive line. Following the postseason transfers of 2023 starters Micah Mazzccua and Richie Leonard IV, the Gators were left depleted inside.
Rising sophomore Knijeah Harris, who spent most of 2023 as Florida’s sixth man in the offensive line rotation, seemingly locked up the left guard position after a strong spring performance.
Meanwhile, Damieon George Jr., who spent most of 2023 at tackle, made the move to right guard prior to Florida’s spring camp, a position better suited for the fifth-year junior. Despite spending most of spring with the first team offense, the uncertainty of his position change as well as a lack of experience at the position led Florida to look to the portal for another guard.
With Zandamela joining the program, Florida is back up to the 85-man scholarship limit. The Gators previously saw the departures of linebacker Mannie Nunnery and corner Ethan Pouncey through the portal as well as the retirement of offensive lineman Riley Simonds, who is now a student-coach with the program.
Florida also added former Air Force tight end Caleb Rillos through the transfer portal. He will be a preferred walk-on in 2024. The Gators also added offensive lineman Enoch Wangoy, a 2025 commit who reclassified to the 2024 class.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
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