The defeat of Santa Ono, as the sole nominee to lead the University of Florida, is a success for Florida but also for the higher education system across the country.  

For a long time, our best universities fell like dominoes to the woke mind virus. Schools where rigor and merit were meant to flourish became institutions of identity politics and far-out leftism. They moved seamlessly from safe spaces to land acknowledgements to anti-Israel encampments. Education was an afterthought. 

Ono was the former University of Michigan president. For Michigan, he was considered a “moderate.” A moderate in this case meant someone who promised, in his inauguration speech in 2023, to implement “DEI 2.0” and described racism as “one of America’s original sins.”  

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In the strategy document for that DEI 2.0, the plan was to “emphasize DEI in terms of strategic priorities; build a campuswide effort; develop institutional and constituent capacity to implement and improve DEI initiatives; fully institutionalize DEI into the university; and ensure continued progress and long-term sustainability.” 

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In his previous role as president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia, Ono made land acknowledgments and wrote an op-ed about the “systemic racial inequities” that “permeate the halls of academia.” 

Ono clearly had a lifelong devotion to inserting leftist politics in his roles.  

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After October 7, he said he would commit the University of Michigan to “a shared commitment to pluralism, to mutual respect and to freedom of speech and diversity of thought.” That didn’t happen. Radical anti-Israel protesters were able to frequently interrupt events with no repercussions and the free speech of those who disagreed with them went unprotected. 

Over the last few weeks, Ono had been on something of a rehabilitation tour. In an op-ed in early May, Ono wrote that he agreed “with the state leadership’s vision and values for public higher education” and that, “Public universities have a responsibility to remain grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity and student achievement. That means rejecting ideological capture, upholding the rule of law, and creating a culture where rigorous thinking and open dialogue flourish.”  

But just a month earlier, in April, Ono had signed an anti-Trump letter as the administration used pressure to force universities receiving public funds to curtail illegal activities on their campuses. Ono had his name scrubbed from the letter once he was being considered for the UF role. His flip-flop had been so sudden that it was impossible to trust. Of course, people develop and change over the course of their lives, and it’s possible Ono has realized how damaging his past support for these far-left policies had been, but the recency of his conversion had given many pause.  

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Success has many fathers, of course, and a number of people and organizations are rushing to take credit for knocking down the Ono pick. But the real credit goes to the Florida Board of Governors, the majority of whom were appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It took guts to overturn the unanimous vote for Santa Ono of the University of Florida Board of Trustees and stand strong against someone who was seen as a prestigious choice for UF. The BoG final vote was 10–6 with one member abstaining. 

Several members of the Board of Governors asked excellent, probing questions of Ono, trying to get to the bottom of his beliefs. Vice Chair of the Board of Governors Alan Levine, in particular, asked pointed questions about Ono’s lack of response to the anti-Israel protests that had rocked the UM campus. Ono didn’t have a great answer on why he took so little action to stop the encampments, the vandalism or the interruptions of events at UM. “Antisemitism will not rear its head again,” Ono promised. Not at the University of Florida it won’t. 

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In the mountains of western North Carolina Friday, two families that lost nearly everything to Hurricane Helene stepped into brand-new homes donated by Samaritan’s Purse. 

In an exclusive look provided to Fox News Digital, Rev. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, dedicated the first mobile homes completed as part of a massive rebuilding effort aimed at restoring hope to families devastated by the storm.

“We’re grateful that they have a new home,” Graham said. “But, more importantly, we want these families to know that God loves them, and He hasn’t forgotten them.”

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Graham, who grew up just down the road from Swannanoa, called it a “full-circle moment” while standing near the same stretch of land where floodwaters swept through mobile home communities last fall. 

“To see these families move back into a real home again … we just thank God,” he said.

At the first dedication, a young mother stood on the threshold of her new home, clutching her baby and wiping away tears. Her family had been living in a cramped camper ever since their trailer was destroyed by floodwaters. Just days earlier, she had welcomed a newborn into the world.

“God has provided shelter for me,” she said softly. “He helped us get closer as a family. It’s been such a long journey, but I kept clinging to faith and patience.”

She thought Samaritan’s Purse might help rebuild her old trailer. What she got was something far beyond what she expected: a completely new, fully furnished home.

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A mother holds her newborn in the nursery of her new home, donated by Samaritan’s Purse. The family had been displaced since Hurricane Helene destroyed their previous home. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)

“I didn’t think they were going to bring us a new trailer,” she said, her voice cracking. “But this was way better. I feel really emotional. It’s hard to lose a house and all the stuff you worked hard for. But seeing this one, it brings me excitement. I’m ready for me and my family to go in and finally have our place back.”

Earlier that morning, another mother and her three children stepped inside their new home for the first time. Their previous mobile home had been crushed by a falling tree during the hurricane, leaving them displaced and uncertain about the future.

A young girl smiles as she walks through her family’s new home, provided by Samaritan’s Purse, after they lost their previous home in Hurricane Helene. Rev. Franklin Graham joined the family for the dedication. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)

Both homes were built with reinforced walls, weather-resistant features and a firm foundation designed to last for years. Each one came furnished and move-in ready. Every family received not only the keys to their new home but also a Bible, a gesture Graham said reflects the heart of the mission.

“These are homes built by God’s people, in Jesus’ name,” he said. “We want these families to know He hasn’t turned His back on them. He loves them.”

Samaritan’s Purse is building dozens of new homes across the region and delivering upgraded mobile units to survivors. The homes weigh 7,000 pounds more than standard models and are reinforced from top to bottom — roof, windows, walls and floors.

“These homes are the first two of many,” Graham said. “And we are ready to provide hundreds more if needed.”

A sign on the exterior of a new mobile home says”Given in Jesus’ Name by Samaritan’s Purse.”  (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)

Before the rebuilding began, nearly 35,000 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers poured into western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. They cut down trees, cleared debris, tarped roofs and mucked out flooded homes. The ministry also conducted the largest civilian airlift in U.S. history, delivering more than 700,000 pounds of aid on 358 flights.

In addition to housing, the organization has replaced hundreds of vehicles and helped thousands of families with grocery assistance and basic needs.

But it’s the personal moments — the quiet prayers, the tears of relief, the joy of children stepping into a bedroom again — that define the mission.

“We thank everyone who gave,” Graham said. “Thousands and thousands contributed. But, most of all, we thank God. Because He’s the one who makes all of this possible.”

To apply for help or to volunteer, visit samaritanspurse.org.

George the cat wasn’t having it. 

The feline fugitive decided recently it was time to leave an animal hospital in Lakeland, Florida, while he was still recovering after being neutered. So, he broke out of his crate and scaled a fence.

“I was distraught and heartbroken,” George’s owner, Bob Beasock, told FOX 13. 

Employees at SPCA Florida chased after George, but they weren’t able to catch him. 

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“George was able to bust out of the trap, and he literally scaled some dog fencing and went into the woods. And our staff were literally hoisting each other up over the fences to try to chase George to capture him,” Randa Richter of SPCA Florida told FOX 13, adding he still had “silly drugs in him” after his neutering. 

Days later, George arrived home 3 miles away. 

“If I would’ve gotten stuck at the SPCA, I would’ve called an Uber, but George didn’t have that option,” Beasock joked. “But coming back from there, he has to go through two or three subdivisions. He has to go around the lake, another lake that’s between us and the SPCA, and probably five or six roads.” 

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George busted out of his crate at the SPCA.  (FOX 13)

Certified cat behavioral specialist Joey Lusvardi told the station cats have evolved to find their way back.

“We think it’s due to a combination of scent or visual markers and possibly geomagnetism,” which relates to Earth’s magnetic field, Lusvardi said.

Bob Beasock brushing George (FOX 13)

“Contrary to popular belief, cats are very attached to us, so they will want to find their way back home eventually.”

Beasock, while brushing his beloved George, told the station, “He needed a human touch, and that’s what he got.”