Miami Heat's home arena will get new name after FTX collapse
The arena where the Miami Heat play will soon have a new name, after the team and Miami-Dade County decided Friday to begin actions to terminate their relationship with FTX on the same day that the cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy.
Trans influencer Nikita Dragun was held in and released from a menโs jail in Miami, her representative says
Influencer Nikita Dragun was released from jail in Miami on Wednesday, according to her representative and Miami-Dade County criminal justice records. Dragun, 26, was arrested Monday at a hotel andย charged with felony assaultย of a police officer.
People looking for COVID-19 tests should avoid ERs, Harris Health System says
Harris Health System is asking people who are seeking COVID-19 testing due to exposure or mild symptoms to avoid emergency rooms in the Houston area and instead seek testing at a pharmacy, doctorโs office or testing site.
![2 sought in Seattle womanโs death in Texas caught in Florida](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/VZJnnoTFVEMDFyr8VJFbGXqx5-Y=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/LKDN6KEX6BAYLAY5DTMZRI6EPY.jpg)
2 sought in Seattle womanโs death in Texas caught in Florida
MIAMI โ Two women wanted in connection with the death of a Seattle woman in Texas last year have been arrested in Florida, court records show. Neither the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office nor Miami-Dade police offered details on the arrest, the Miami Herald reported. A medical examiner in Texas said human remains found last week in Wilmer, Texas, were a match for Botello-Valadez. AdAccording to police, Beltran, Dykes and Marano all left their homes and jobs after the woman's disappearance. Court records in Orange County and Miami-Dade County show Dykes and Marano are being held on fugitive warrants out of Texas.
![The Latest: China's Hebei toughens virus rules over outbreak](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/aTY8aBtCqGngmq7ASQw_fL1uPSc=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/6RHALIW4TRAABKMXZ47RMVSDWI.jpg)
The Latest: China's Hebei toughens virus rules over outbreak
State health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey urged residents to continue wearing masks, practicing social distancing and washing their hands frequently. Health care officials are currently vaccinating health care workers, first responders and those living in long-term care facilities โall people in the highest-priority groups for getting doses. In the first phase, priority was given to health care workers and residents and staff at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Cuomo says hospitals need to do a better job of vaccinating the health care workers who are eligible now. Only health care workers and nursing home residents and staff members are currently being vaccinated in New York.
![Florida's new python-sniffing dogs have 1st success](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/BypI4uMe7LTMYhPvNFqRnWv05IU=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/6YP6B5SOVNH4XIZ5ATUXP56KFE.jpg)
Florida's new python-sniffing dogs have 1st success
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation is beginning a new program to use dogs to sniff out invasive pythons. We've got to try new approaches and the detector dogs is just one area where we're doing that," commission Executive Director Eric Sutton. He showed commissioners pictures of the dogs during a virtual meeting, including one with Truman standing behind the massive snake he found. Trainers use python-scented towels and live pythons with surgically implanted trackers to teach the dogs to pick up a snake's scent. The dogs were trained for more than a month before going out in the wild, according to the agency's website.
![Tropical Storm Eta floods already drenched Florida cities](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/mdPSuF6AfMFf_RKM_vigwjUrBEI=/1600x1065/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZB2B3RYMWJHIJN7ULQTK6AG4HM.jpg)
Tropical Storm Eta floods already drenched Florida cities
A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta cut across Cuba on Sunday, and forecasters say it's likely to be a hurricane before hitting the Florida Keys Sunday night or Monday. Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys and posed a serious threat across South Florida, which was already drenched from more than 14 inches (35 centimeters) of rain last month. โNever seen this, never, not this deep,โ said Anthony Lyas, who has lived in his now-waterlogged Fort Lauderdale neighborhood since 1996. Eta was not done yet with Cuba, just 90 miles (140 kilometers) south of Florida, where the storm continued to swell rivers and flood coastal zones. ___Associated Press writers Cody Jackson in Fort Lauderdale, Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta contributed to this report.
![House Latest: Okla. congresswoman Horn loses to GOPโs Bice](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/WX2zyLth_y4pTTjZE2ehdV6s5uo=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VHMMTQHZCJGMXL32B6LZCJD6A4.jpg)
House Latest: Okla. congresswoman Horn loses to GOPโs Bice
U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, an Oklahoma City lawyer, faced Republican state Sen. Bice for the Oklahoma City-area House seat. President Donald Trump supported Mace on Twitter and she once worked on the presidentโs campaign. Fischbach contended that Peterson was too close to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other liberals. Republican Ronny Jackson has won a House seat in West Texas, where he moved after leaving the White House in 2018. They are banking on anxiety over the pandemic, suburban indignation with President Donald Trump and a fundraising advantage.
![Florida, butt of election jokes, believes system is ready](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/5fLTXBRhyif_1_ZL7rt1rF3lAQo=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VOFZHEMBIRG7NGKXICVJ3NLOPY.jpg)
Florida, butt of election jokes, believes system is ready
State leaders eliminated computer punchcard ballots, implemented statewide recount laws and made it easy to cast and process ballots before Election Day. Though there are other scenarios that make elections officials nervous, the computer punch-card ballots that fueled 2000's chaos are buried in history's landfill. Casting valid ballots and processing them is now easier, even before Election Day, and the Legislature has enacted clearer laws governing recounts. If the statewide margin then is within a half-percentage point โ likely about 55,000 votes โ a machine recount would occur. These voters are notified and have until two days after the election to prove their identity, but many wonโt respond.
![Bloomberg gives $500,000 to spur Dem turnout in Miami-Dade](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/gK-7L18T73OVzFJFz7vSpnPuSPM=/1600x1098/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/J7RM25MD7FDX7LMBXSM5BYAHSE.jpg)
Bloomberg gives $500,000 to spur Dem turnout in Miami-Dade
WASHINGTON โ Billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is donating $500,000 to juice Democratic turnout in Miami-Dade County, a place where the party must bank a massive number of votes if it hopes to win the pivotal swing state of Florida. The money will be used to register Miami-Dade voters and knock on doors. In a statement, Bloomberg highlighted the importance of Miami-Dade County. โAs one of the most diverse counties in Florida, Miami-Dade County is a particularly important county for a Democratic victory in Florida,โ he said. โIโm glad to support the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committeeโs work to directly reach voters and urge them to cast their ballots."
![Judge denies motion to extend Florida's voter registration](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/ziYQNi0zK0fmBvBfLzwdSlDB_Ks=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/MF27XI6HFZH45BPXH7WAXDJ5S4.jpg)
Judge denies motion to extend Florida's voter registration
Ramiro Saez, left, helps his son Lucas Saez, 22, fill out a voter registration form, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department in Doral, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the state's voter registration deadline after heavy traffic crashed the state's online system and potentially prevented thousands of enrolling to cast ballots in next month's presidential election. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ A federal judge has denied a motion to extend voter registration in Florida even though a computer meltdown on the final day of registration might have prevented thousands of potential voters from taking part in Novemberโs presidential election. โWeโre disappointed that so many Floridians were disenfranchised because of the stateโs failure to upkeep the online voter registration system,โ Cabrera said. Floridaโs online voter registration system serves the stateโs 67 counties and became operational in October 2017.
![Server configuration caused Florida voter registration crash](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/RtIU1D4V9milGFpM6um1XtA8I4E=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/MTYAAER22VEPFOJMRRBE64LME4.jpg)
Server configuration caused Florida voter registration crash
Secretary of State Laurel Lee issued a statement late Tuesday saying it does not appear that bad actors caused Monday's collapse of registration system. Monday's trouble with the voter registration website stoked concern, but there was relief that the cause was far less sinister. Its site would send Floridians to the stateโs registration website. The statewide voter registration system, which serves Floridaโs 67 counties, went online in October 2017. โThe online voter registration site failed because it was designed to fail,โ Holder said.
![Miami-Dade school district cuts ties with online platform](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/2Ql-RkFrZszAr130xYOtvKcznVE=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/FH4AVSHRJVBFDCO7KNMU6Y6H4E.jpg)
Miami-Dade school district cuts ties with online platform
MIAMI Florida's largest school district is severing ties with an online platform many blame for failures as the county tries to get kids back to school. Following a 13-hour meeting, the Miami-Dade County School Board unanimously voted early Thursday to stop using My School Online. Some 400 teachers and parents submitted comments, most of them negative, about the online platform. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is the fourth largest school district in the United States, comprised of 392 schools, 345,000 students and over 40,000 employees. The district chose the My School Online platform through K12 because it wanted a one-stop shop for all students and teachers.
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Election officials game out worst-case scenarios in drills
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)WASHINGTON The Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity agency this week hosted a three-day tabletop exercise aimed at helping local, state and federal officials prepare for and respond to worst-case scenarios on Election Day. It comes at a particularly fraught moment as the nation edges closer toward a contentious presidential contest when an expected surge in absentee balloting is likely to delay the reporting of results and test election officials in profound, even unexpected ways. On the federal level, Masterson said, one of the continued areas for improvement is pushing out information on threats to local election officials in a timely and actionable way. What we keep hearing from the election officials is, we appreciate you sharing information with us, but can you make it so that it's shareable broadly, Masterson said. One additional benefit of the exercise is the personal connections that officials can build before a crisis occurs, said David Stafford, the elections county supervisor in Escambia County, Florida.
![Pandemic becomes politically fraught for Florida governor](https://www.click2houston.com/resizer/KIimmiPKl3A6RiOt_9CZKUOG0g8=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/M2D26E74XNHXDB64HENTU3IG7I.jpg)
Pandemic becomes politically fraught for Florida governor
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, arrives for a roundtable discussion with Miami-Dade County mayors during the coronavirus pandemic, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745.