Florida
North Florida visits Stetson following Blackmon’s 34-point performance
North Florida Ospreys (7-8) at Stetson Hatters (8-6)
DeLand, Florida; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hatters -6.5; over/under is 152.5
BOTTOM LINE: Stetson hosts the North Florida Ospreys after Jalen Blackmon scored 34 points in Stetson’s 79-75 win against the Charlotte 49ers.
The Hatters are 4-0 on their home court. Stetson scores 78.6 points and has outscored opponents by 8.5 points per game.
The Ospreys are 1-6 on the road. North Florida is eighth in the ASUN with 13.4 assists per game led by Ametri Moss averaging 3.1.
Stetson is shooting 46.8% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points higher than the 45.7% North Florida allows to opponents. North Florida scores 6.7 more points per game (76.8) than Stetson allows to opponents (70.1).
The Hatters and Ospreys face off Thursday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Blackmon is averaging 24.1 points for the Hatters. Stephan D. Swenson is averaging 12.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals over the past 10 games for Stetson.
Chaz Lanier is scoring 15.8 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists for the Ospreys. Moss is averaging 11.3 points and 3.5 assists over the past 10 games for North Florida.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hatters: 6-4, averaging 80.3 points, 34.1 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 6.1 steals and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.1 points per game.
Ospreys: 4-6, averaging 75.3 points, 37.3 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.1 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Florida
‘All over’: Florida mental health counselor finds 50 bats inside her office
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Florida
Byron Donalds’ chances of winning Florida governor’s seat, new poll shows
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
Florida
‘You’ll get capped:’ New viral challenge could get teens shot in Florida, sheriff warns
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A recent viral trend — dubbed the “Door Kick Challenge” — has been causing issues as of late in Central Florida.
The challenge involves teens covering their faces, kicking or pounding stranger’s front door when it’s dark outside, and sprinting off into the night.
[WATCH: FCSO releases footage of ‘Door Kick Challenge’ in action]
But on Wednesday, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly warned there could be deadly consequences.
According to the sheriff’s office, these pranks may come across as an attempted home invasion for some, and with Florida being a “Stand Your Ground” state, neighbors have the right to treat it as such.
[ Central Florida deputy consoles 12-year-old accused in door-kicking incident]
“Parents, keep an eye on your children. We know they want to have fun, but they are taking huge risks when they mask up and kick strangers’ doors,” Staly said. “Be the sheriff of your own home, talk to your kids, know their friends, and make sure they know the risks associated with doing what the internet tells them to do.”
But in a release, the sheriff’s office delivered the message in a “language” that teens may better understand:
“This door kick ‘challenge’ is not the side quest you think it is.
It’s trendslop, pure brain rot straight off the FYP. You think you’re the alpha chad of the cul-de-sac? Nah bruh, you’re one hoodie masked-up sprint away from priors. The kind of rap that gets you cancelled before you ever stack any clout. Zero drip in our jail’s barbershop-looking mugshots.
Okay, real talk. Florida is a Stand Your Ground state. A NPC wakes up to two randos kicking their door at 1 a.m. wearing sheisties — they don’t see a flex, they get the ick, and think your side quest is a home invasion. And no cap, you’ll get capped.
Taking an L on TikTok? Recoverable. Taking a round to the chest? There’s no respawn.
So skip this one, chief. Find clout elsewhere.”
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
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