It’s arduous to think about anybody leaving a extra profound influence on the state of Florida than Daniel Robert “Bob” Graham. A lifelong public servant, preeminent College of Florida alumnus, and one among Florida’s most beloved elected officers, Graham’s affect is woven into the very cloth of our state. Although Graham handed away on April 16, 2024, on the age of 87, his legacy will endure for generations to come back.

Graham devoted practically 4 many years to serving the folks of Florida on the native, state, and nationwide ranges. As a state legislator, governor (1978-1987), and three-term U.S. senator (1987-2004), Graham performed an integral position in shaping trendy Florida’s historical past and addressing a myriad of crucial public coverage points. Graham’s profession exemplified integrity, dedication, and steadfast dedication to the betterment of his neighborhood and the state.

All of it started at UF, the place he graduated in 1959 with a bachelor’s diploma in political science. As a pupil, Graham rapidly distinguished himself as a frontrunner. Amongst his earliest official titles had been “UF Honor Court docket Chancellor Graham” and “President Graham of the Epsilon Zeta chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity” – earlier than turning into Governor Graham, Senator Graham, Chairman Graham, then, affectionately, “Doodle” by his grandchildren.

“Senator Bob Graham emerged from our college with a coronary heart for public service,” UF President Ben Sasse stated. “He prized discovering frequent floor fairly than sowing division — and he was a champion of democracy and civic engagement.”

All through the years, Graham’s connection to UF grew. In 2006, he established the Bob Graham Heart for Public Service. Positioned in Pugh Corridor, the Graham Heart additionally homes Graham’s private workplace, symbolizing his enduring presence on campus.

“Graham beloved the college and particularly its college students, whom he relished assembly at any time when he was on campus,” stated Matthew Jacobs, director of the Bob Graham Heart for Public Service.

Having performed a pivotal position in Florida’s rise from a predominantly rural Southern backwater to an financial and political powerhouse, Graham based the Graham Heart to advertise civic engagement and to coach the subsequent technology of Sunshine State leaders.

In a video interview in 2018, Graham stated, “What we’re making an attempt to do on the Graham Heart is encourage younger folks and folks of all ages to find out about their communities by really getting concerned. Democracy was by no means supposed to be a spectator sport; it’s at all times been participation. Individuals want the alternatives to take part they usually want the abilities to take part successfully.”

Right now, the Graham Heart has change into a significant hub for civic engagement and mental discourse. By means of internships, analysis, and visitor lectures, it equips UF college students with the instruments and information to change into energetic residents and leaders. Frequent public packages and lectures guarantee broader neighborhood involvement, on each political and non-political subjects. Following Graham’s instance, the middle continuously collaborates with native and state governments, universities, institutes, NGOs, and different civic establishments to help initiatives centered on engagement, management, and repair.

“It has actually been an honor to work with Bob Graham for over a decade by means of his namesake Heart for Public Service,” stated David E. Richardson, dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “We grew to become pals, and I’ll always remember his clear imaginative and prescient, kindness, non-partisan embrace of upper training, and love for our college students.  He has been a mannequin for selfless service to Florida and the nation.”

Graham’s unwavering generosity additionally serendipitously led him to the one who would alter his private life. It was on the steps of Tigert Corridor that he stumbled into Adele Khoury, a UF freshman scuffling with a bodily science course and in search of a tutor. He provided his help, and their bond blossomed. Earlier than graduating from UF, the couple grew to become engaged, embarking on a outstanding 63-year marriage.

Graham is remembered throughout the state for guiding Florida’s development as a Sunbelt powerhouse. He was a robust proponent of training, financial alternative, and the surroundings, based on his perception in the potential for a constructive relationship between politicians and the folks they symbolize. He endeared himself to the folks of Florida by means of a nationally acknowledged “Workdays” marketing campaign that introduced him to work in dozens of jobs for full days with minimal media presence.

Graham possessed a real, variety, and humble spirit typically thought of to be unparalleled on the nationwide stage. He pioneered a political model grounded in arduous work and experiential studying – demonstrating {that a} politician can stay sincere whereas reaching outstanding success. He left Florida’s governorship with an 83% approval score within the state, reflecting the deep connection he had with the folks of the state.

He’s remembered on the nationwide degree for reaching outstanding progress throughout his time in workplace. He labored throughout the political aisle as a nationwide determine within the Democratic celebration who strived for bipartisanship, connecting with others on a real degree to attain outcomes for the general public. He advocated for civics to have a central position in training and shared the tales of Florida with the remainder of the nation.

He’s remembered internationally for his experience on overseas coverage and intelligence and emphasis on justice, informing his regular management following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assaults.

Graham had a well known behavior of meticulously logging his each day actions on pocket notebooks. His larger-than-life legacy is recorded in over 4,000 journals stuffed with Gov. Graham’s each day observations and encounters, which at the moment are housed on the College of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries.

Upon retiring from the U.S. Senate in January 2005, Graham served for a yr as a senior fellow on the Harvard Kennedy College of Authorities. Throughout that yr, he started creating plans for a middle modeled on the Kennedy College’s Institute of Politics to be situated on the College of Florida.

“He based the Bob Graham Heart to assist college students develop the abilities crucial for efficient civic engagement, public management, and public service, and to create alternatives for college students to ‘be taught by doing,’ exemplified by his a whole lot of memorable ‘work days,’” Jacobs stated. “Whereas we’re deeply saddened by Bob Graham’s passing, we embrace the chance to proceed constructing on his legacy by means of the Bob Graham Heart for Public Service.” 

The household has requested that expressions of sympathy could also be made within the type of donations to the Bob Graham Heart right here.

Bob Graham was a colleague, good friend, and devoted Floridian whose almost 50 years of service to his beloved dwelling state and to our nation have made America a safer and stronger nation.

Bob selected a lifetime of service, working his method up from state legislator, to governor, senator, and presidential candidate. He and I served collectively within the U.S. Senate, as respective chairs of the Intelligence and Overseas Relations committees within the wake of 9/11, working to heal a shattered nation and to guard America in a altering world. Bob stood on precept towards the Iraq Battle. He cosponsored my landmark Violence Towards Girls Act, reworking the way in which our nation responds to home abuse and sexual assault. He was dedicated to training and to the setting, persevering with work that he’d begun as governor to help public faculties and universities, and to guard the water provide, wetlands, and wildlife of Florida’s iconic Everglades. He was filled with humor and humanity, and I’m grateful for the help that he gave me over time.

Bob liked folks, and he knew that politics at its core is about studying from and serving others. That’s why he spent greater than 400 “workdays” on the job with constituents, doing every thing from choosing tomatoes, to dealing with baggage, to patrolling the streets with police. He knew it issues to stroll a mile in folks’ sneakers. Lately, he sought to instill that very same ethic and empathy in a brand new era of public servants by his middle in Gainesville, and by working to require civics courses in public faculties. He impressed his personal daughter, Gwen, to serve in Congress as properly; and I’m proud to have her in my Administration immediately, as an Assistant Secretary of Schooling. Bob was so proud, too.

Our hearts immediately are with Bob’s beloved spouse of 65 years, Adele; with their 4 daughters, Gwen, Cissy, Suzanne, and Kendall; with their grandchildren and buddies; and with the folks of Florida, whom Bob served so properly in so some ways for thus lengthy.

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Crimson Lobster, a well-liked seafood restaurant chain that first opened in Florida over 50 years in the past, has reportedly been contemplating submitting for Chapter 11 chapter, based on a report from Bloomberg. This has spurred rumors of mass closures, although presently, that appears unlikely.

Chapter 11 chapter is sometimes called “reorganization chapter” and usually permits a enterprise to remain open whereas it reorganizes funds to repay current debt over time.

On the time of writing, Crimson Lobster has not formally filed for chapter.

An worker at a Phoenix Crimson Lobster location informed The Republic that the Bloomberg article was primarily based on talks, however that nothing has but been confirmed, and the chain has shared no instant plans to shut shops.

The Republic reached out to Crimson Lobster and King & Spalding, the regulation agency reportedly working with Crimson Lobster on the choice, however didn’t obtain a response on the time of publication.

Eating:Why does not Phoenix have any Michelin star eating places? It is difficult. And will change

Attain the reporter at endia.fontanez@gannett.com. Observe @EndiaFontanez on X, previously Twitter.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (WKRC) — Seafood chain Pink Lobster is reportedly getting ready to file for chapter.

In keeping with Restaurant Enterprise On-line, citing a report from Bloomberg, the corporate is contemplating submitting for Chapter 11 chapter safety to restructure its debt.

Per Restaurant Enterprise, Jonathan Tibus, a managing director with restructuring agency Alvarez & Marsal, was put in final month as the corporate’s new CEO. The transfer led to hypothesis that Thai Union Group is getting ready the model on the market, in accordance with the outlet, which reported that Tibus was the corporate’s third CEO previously two years.

In keeping with the outlet, citing the Bloomberg report, Orlando-based Pink Lobster is searching for recommendation from regulation agency King & Spalding to divest from long-term contracts and renegotiate leases

Per Restaurant Enterprise On-line, the seafood chain, which has round 650 places throughout the USA, has struggled in recent times as a consequence of management troubles and strategic missteps. The corporate’s monetary struggles have been magnified by financial hardships which have impacted a majority of American companies for the reason that starting of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thai Union Group made the choice to chop ties with Pink Lobster and search for a purchaser in January, in accordance with the outlet, which reported that Pink Lobster suffered a $33 million loss in 2022.

The outlet attributed these losses to much less Individuals selecting to eat out at eating places and a rise in meals and labor prices. Pink Lobster closed 16 places, per the outlet.

Final summer time, Pink Lobster launched a $20 all-you-can-eat shrimp deal which, though widespread with clients, ended up costing the corporate over $11 million in a single quarter.

Per the outlet, citing the Bloomberg report, the restructuring talks are ongoing. No official determination has been made.

Jimmy Butler is perhaps sidelined indefinitely on account of a major knee harm.

The Miami Warmth star is feared to have sustained an MCL harm in his staff’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday within the play-in event, in line with The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Butler is ready to bear an MRI on Thursday to find out the severity of his harm. Whereas specifics will not be but identified, it may very simply sideline him indefinitely, which might knock him out of Friday’s win-or-go-home matchup towards the Chicago Bulls and doubtlessly rather more of the playoffs.

Butler went down onerous within the first quarter of the 105-104 loss whereas going up for a layup, and he was down on the court docket in apparent ache.

He didn’t exit the sport after his fall, nonetheless, and ended up enjoying 40 minutes and dropping 19 factors within the loss. Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned Butler’s knee “began to restrict him a bit of extra” as the sport went on.

“It had me feeling that I couldn’t do an excessive amount of,” Butler mentioned, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.

Butler was limping fairly a bit as he walked off the court docket on the Wells Fargo Middle, and his limp appeared considerably worse when he left the sector altogether.

Butler averaged 20.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 5 assists per sport this season, his fifth with the Warmth. He shot simply 5-of-18 from the sector Wednesday. Tyler Herro led the Warmth with 25 factors and 9 assists within the loss, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15 factors off the bench.

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 23 factors and 15 rebounds of their win. Nicolas Batum added 20 factors, together with six 3-pointers, off the bench. The 76ers clinched the No. 7 seed within the Jap Convention playoffs, which units them up with a first-round sequence towards the New York Knicks.

Though Butler has not but been dominated out, he would not have a lot time to get well earlier than Miami’s subsequent sport. The Warmth will host the Bulls — who beat the Atlanta Hawks of their play-in event matchup Wednesday — on Friday on the Kesaya Middle in a must-win sport to assert the ultimate seed within the Jap Convention playoffs. A win would ship them right into a first-round sequence with the Boston Celtics.

PHILADELPHIA — The Warmth worry guard Jimmy Butler sustained a doable MCL damage to his proper knee throughout Miami’s 105-104 play-in event loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night time, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Butler was damage on the ultimate play of the primary quarter in Philadelphia, when after leaking out for a possible fast-break layup, he tried to faux out Kelly Oubre Jr. to try to make a layup, solely to have his knee buckle after it appeared Oubre landed on it, inflicting Butler to fall to the ground in ache.

“I fell, he landed and my knee simply did not do nicely, I suppose,” mentioned Butler, who mentioned he’ll be getting an MRI on his knee Thursday. “I do not know. It isn’t a great feeling, I can inform you that.”

After spending an prolonged time frame on the bottom, Butler finally received to his ft and cut up the 2 free throws.

Butler remained within the recreation however scored a complete of 12 factors the remainder of the way in which on 3-for-14 taking pictures, as Miami’s offense dried up after taking a 12-point halftime lead, permitting Philadelphia to come back from behind and shut out the win.

Now, the query is whether or not Butler can be obtainable to play when Miami hosts Chicago on Friday night time, with the winner getting the No. 8 seed.

“It felt like I could not do an excessive amount of, which sucks with the timing of the sport and the whole lot,” Butler mentioned. “I hope that I am superb. I hope that I get up tomorrow and may nonetheless stick-and-move. Proper now, I can not say that is the case.”

The Warmth are in precisely the identical scenario they had been in final yr: taking part in at dwelling to make the playoffs as an eighth seed. The winner of Friday’s matchup heads to Boston to play the Celtics on Sunday afternoon.

“We simply must get one after which we’ll fear in regards to the subsequent one,” Butler mentioned.

Butler stayed within the recreation hoping that sooner or later “adrenaline would sit back in,” and he’d be capable of summon the flexibility to take over down the stretch. As an alternative, he went 3-for-10 within the second half and solely took two photographs within the fourth quarter — together with none within the remaining 4 minutes.

“It simply wasn’t the case,” he mentioned. “I wasn’t capable of do something on both facet of the ball. I feel I damage us greater than I helped us truly.”

The Athletic was first to report Butler’s doable MCL damage.

CACHE COUNTY, Utah (WAFB/Grey Information) – Rap star NBA YoungBoy has been arrested in Utah on a number of offenses whereas serving a home arrest sentence.

In accordance with jail data from the Cache County Sheriff’s Workplace, the 24-year-old, whose actual identify is Kentrell Gaulden, was booked on a number of fees together with possession of a managed substance and possession of a harmful weapon on Tuesday.

The rapper is awaiting trial for federal gun fees, which was paused in March pending the U.S. Supreme Courtroom’s ruling on Second Modification rights this spring.

The rapper was indicted in March 2021 after allegedly being discovered with two weapons throughout a September 2020 incident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sixteen individuals have been arrested on drug and firearm fees whereas filming a music video in an deserted lot.

In July 2022, a federal jury in Los Angeles discovered NBA YoungBoy not responsible of “knowingly” possessing a firearm throughout an arrest following a short foot chase in California.

He has been serving home arrest in Utah, beneath the surveillance of a safety agency staffed by navy veterans.

Final December, a federal choose lessened the situations of his home arrest to permit him entry to psychological well being remedies, however denied him extra time within the recording studio, regardless of arguments that his document gross sales have suffered on account of his lockdown.

An lawyer representing NBA YoungBoy issued a press release saying partly, “Everyone seems to be presumed harmless, and he has been falsely accused previously.”

No bail has been set.

Copyright 2024 WAFB by way of Grey Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

CACHE COUNTY, Utah — A rapper with tens of millions of followers who was serving home arrest in Utah was arrested for his alleged involvement in a “massive scale prescription fraud ring” in Cache County.

NBA YoungBoy, whose actual title is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, was booked Tuesday and faces 63 costs.

The alleged offenses are:

• Possession of a harmful weapon by restricted particular person (2nd-degree felony; 1 depend)
• Sample of illegal exercise (2nd-degree felony; 1 depend)
• Id fraud (Third-degree felony; 20 counts)
• Forgery (Third-degree felony; 20 counts)
• Procuring/making an attempt to obtain drug/prescription (Class-A misdemeanor; 20 counts)
• Possession of managed substance (Class-B misdemeanor; 1 depend)

In line with the arrest report, 24-year-old Gaulden was a part of a scheme to fraudulently acquire promethazine with codeine — which, in response to the Nationwide Library of Drugs, is blended with Sprite and/or alcohol to make “purple drank” or “lean,” and is standard with rappers.

Police say Gaulden and “many different people” (who weren’t named within the paperwork) tried to acquire the prescribed cough suppressant from a number of pharmacies in Cache County.

In line with police, Gaulden referred to as in a prescription supposedly for a 74-year-old girl to a pharmacy in Hyrum in September. They mentioned he claimed to be a doctor within the Provo space, utilizing “an precise, legitimate DEA quantity, NPI quantity and different identification for the actual doctor.” The pharmacist seen that the telephone quantity didn’t match the variety of mentioned physician’s clinic, so that they referred to as the physician instantly. The physician mentioned he didn’t write a prescription for a lady by that title, and added that this form of factor “occurred a number of occasions at present.”

Comparable incidents occurred at different pharmacies in Cache County, and police mentioned two girls picked up the prescription drugs throughout one occasion. They had been then detained as a part of the investigation and later arrested for his or her alleged involvement within the “prescription fraud ring.”

The Cache County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned the car the ladies arrived in to choose up the medicine was registered to Gaulden. Then later, his enterprise supervisor contacted the sheriff’s workplace about getting the car out of impound. The officer requested to talk on to Gaulden. Whereas talking to Gaulden, the arresting officer mentioned he heard somebody — presumably Gaulden — recommend asking about “the prescription that they picked up.”

After investigating and studying of comparable incidents of fraudulent prescriptions allegedly being referred to as in to numerous pharmacies, a search warrant for Gaulden’s residence in Weber County was authorized after which executed on Tuesday. The Cache County Sheriff’s Workplace reported that a number of companies, together with the FBI, the Secret Service and the Layton SWAT staff, carried out the search on his residence.

Police mentioned Gaulden denied any data of the prescription fraud, however they discovered a prescription bottle of Promethazine in his residence, with the title of the “affected person” on it that was allegedly referred to as in fraudulently.

Additionally they mentioned marijuana was discovered within the car that was impounded, which was registered to Gaulden. Additionally they discovered a gun inside his residence, which he claimed belonged to his spouse. Nevertheless, courtroom paperwork state that the gun was “not in a secured location and in a spot simply and regularly accessible” by Gaulden, and he admitted to choosing it up and shifting it at one level.

He was booked within the Cache County Jail and denied bail.

Studies point out the rapper was in Utah below home arrest after he was accused of federal gun and different costs.

Native media in Baton Rouge reported his attorneys argued that shifting Gaulden to Utah would preserve him out of bother.

In December 2023, a federal choose reportedly lessened Gaulden’s home arrest situations to permit him psychological well being therapies.

Additionally in 2023, the rapper made headlines when he introduced his intent to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Stick with FOX 13 Information and fox13now.com for the most recent updates on this growing story.

Congratulations are to ensure that Ashanti and Nelly, who’re anticipating their first youngster collectively.

Ashanti introduced the information in a candy Instagram video on Wednesday (April 17), through which the “Rock Wit U” singer is seen on the point of carry out. When her mom asks her how a lot time she wants till she’s prepared, Ashanti cleverly responds, “I’m going to wish about 9 months.”

To drive the message house, the 43-year-old star captioned the publish “Child child child child….” Nelly additionally posted the video to his personal Instagram web page. See the publish right here.

Ashanti additionally revealed that she’s engaged to “Only a Dream” singer to Essence, telling the publication, “This new yr of my life is such a blessing full of affection, hope, and anticipation. Motherhood is one thing that I’ve regarded ahead to, and sharing this with my household, fiancé, and constant followers, who’ve been so supportive of my profession, is a tremendous expertise.”

The upcoming bundle of pleasure is Ashanti’s first youngster and Nelly’s fifth. The “Physique On Me” singers started courting again in 2003 and the main points of their romance have been considerably of a thriller to followers earlier than they finally broke up in 2013. In June, followers started buzzing when Ashanti and Nelly attended the third Annual Birthday Ball for High quality Management CEO Pierre “P” Thomas and have been photographed collectively on the crimson carpet.

In an interview with Love and Hip Hop‘s Rasheeda and Kirk Frost in September, Nelly confirmed the continuing rumors of their rekindled romance. “I feel we each have been just about doing what we do, however generally being separate you perceive each other extra,” he mentioned of the 10-year hole of their relationship. “You be like, ‘Yo, let me see precisely what they see.’ You already know, as a result of all of us could be defensive generally in our personal relationships. We all know we fallacious however we going to face on it. However all of us a sufferer to that.”

The life companions have been as soon as chart rivals. Nelly’s “Scorching in Herre” dislodged Ashanti’s “Silly” from the highest spot on the Billboard Scorching 100 in June 2002. “Silly” had reigned for 10 consecutive weeks, earlier than “Scorching in Herre” took over for a seven-week run.