Latest news with #ThePalmBeachPost
Sky News AU
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Jeffrey Epstein thrown out of Mar-a-Lago for hiring the help: Donald Trump
President Donald Trump revealed what made him stop speaking to Jeffrey Epstein for years, as he detailed how the disgraced financier "did something that was inappropriate" while visiting his Florida home. While speaking to reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, on Monday, Trump said Epstein was previously thrown out of his Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago estate for attempting to hire his employees. The pair reportedly fell out of touch in 2004 following a dispute over Trump outbidding Epstein in a bankruptcy auction for a coastal estate, according to The Palm Beach Post. "He stole people that worked for me," Trump said. "I said, 'Don't ever do that again.' He did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata." Trump went on to add that he "never had the privilege of going to [Epstein's] island." "I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island," Trump told reporters. "In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn't want to go to his island." Conversations surrounding Epstein have remained in the national spotlight in recent weeks, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche traveling to Florida last week for two days of meetings with convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump has not ruled out a potential pardon for Maxwell, previously commenting that "It's something I'm allowed to do, but it's something I have not thought about." Last week, Maxwell was slapped with a subpoena from a House subcommittee as lawmakers continue to seek answers surrounding the scope of Epstein's crimes. "Republicans on the Oversight Committee were going to move to be more aggressive in trying to get transparency with the Epstein files," Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said, according to The Associated Press. "So, we did that, and I think that's what the American people want." The White House told Fox News Digital on Monday that it had "Nothing to add past the President's remarks." Originally published as Jeffrey Epstein thrown out of Mar-a-Lago for hiring the help: Donald Trump
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaq tells Mike Tyson retiring to The Villages in Florida is ‘the dream scenario,' here's why
Retired NBA legend and former Floridian Shaquille O'Neal, 53, wants to retire to Ocala, Florida, for an eye-opening reason: The rumors about The Villages that have circulated among Floridians for years. If you don't know, The Villages is one of the largest retirement communities in the U.S., spanning three counties and boasting more than 80,000 residents aged 55 and over. Most Floridians who know about The Villages have likely heard a rumor that went viral in 2023, about the community's high rate of STDs and a 'loofah code' that Villages residents allegedly use to signal to others what their sexual preferences are. That, coupled with true stories of seniors getting caught having sex in public places in the retirement community, created quite a reputation for The Villages – so much so that Shaq wants to move there because of the rumors, he told Mike Tyson on his podcast recently. 'For years, The Villages has been batting down stories that claim there's a higher incidence of sexually transmitted disease there than in Miami,' Columnist Frank Cerabino wrote for The Palm Beach Post in 2023. Here's what Shaq said about his 'dream retirement scenario' and a quick explanation of what the real 'loofah code' at The Villages is. More on Shaq: How he 'flipped the script,' expanding fortune after retirement What is the name of Shaq's podcast? Shaq calls retiring to The Villages his 'dream retirement scenario' Shaq's podcast, 'The Big Podcast with Shaq,' is a weekly show that he hosts with sportscaster Adam Lefkoe, covering a wide variety of topics, from sports to personal life and entertainment. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Last week, with Mike Tyson there as a guest, Lefkoe asked Shaq what his 'dream retirement scenario' is. Shaq said that he doesn't want to be in an old folks' home and doesn't want his kids to have to take care of him. 'The dream scenario is: There's this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks' home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there,' Shaq told Lefkoe and Tyson. 'When I get to 65 and I can't move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off my boy.' Did Shaq ever live in Florida? Yes! Shaq now lives in Texas, but has owned four different Florida homes in his robust real estate portfolio, according to Architectural Digest. If you didn't know, Shaq played for the Orlando Magic for four NBA seasons in the late '90s and a decade later won a championship on one of his three seasons with the Miami Heat. The NBA legend has owned two homes in the Miami area and two homes in the Orlando area. The Villages rumors: "Loofah code" at Florida's largest retirement community more about confused than enthused What is The Villages in Florida known for? Villages 'loofah code' went viral The Villages is primarily well-known for its size. With more than 80,000 residents – around 79,000 in 2020 – it's one of the biggest (if not, the biggest) retirement communities in the U.S. 'The Villages is home to the world's largest recreation department, has more golf courses than any other community in the world, is home to three town squares (with a fourth one just announced) where residents go to eat and shop and enjoy free nightly entertainment, and is home to roughly 100 restaurants,' says. But it isn't The Villages' recreational opportunities or golf courses that have caught online attention. Like Shaq, many people have heard rumors in the last few years that The Villages is a community of very sexually active seniors who use a 'code' to learn each other's sexual preferences. A theory on Reddit took flight in 2023, when someone posted about the different-colored loofahs that residents put on their cars. But according to Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino and Ryan Erisman, who publishes the 'Inside the Bubble' blog about life in The Villages, the stories about residents using color-coded loofah signals aren't true. According to reports and comments from former employees on the original Reddit thread, the 'loofah code' is actually a way for some seniors to locate their car in parking lots. Contributing: Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post This article originally appeared on Florida Today: The Villages in Florida is Shaq's 'dream retirement.' Here's why Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
If we're naming roads after Trump, we should do the same for Epstein
To spell it out: President Donald J. Trump Boulevard ends to the east at Mar-a-Lago, which would be the southern endpoint to Jeffrey Epstein Way. I've got an idea how to soothe the Palm Beach County, Florida, residents who object to changing the name of a chunk of Southern Boulevard to President Donald J. Trump Boulevard. This sentiment was cogently explained by reader Peggy Butler, of West Palm Beach, in a letter published in The Palm Beach Post last weekend ("Street renaming dishonors Palm Beach County," July 20). 'He's torn this country apart and does not deserve any kind of honor, especially this,' she wrote. I agree with Butler that the rush to name roads after Trump seems too premature. Wouldn't it be best to allow Trump's promised 'golden age' of America to play out to determine whether it ends up best describing a precious metal or a biological waste product? The unanimous vote by the Board of County Commissioners to rename the road follows an act of premature adulation passed by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to direct the Florida Department of Transportation to erect a sign on the road to honor Trump. Florida lawmakers are getting ahead of themselves But state law also calls for local municipalities that would be impacted by the name change to offer their approval. This means that West Palm Beach and the Town of Palm Beach still need to weigh in on the road name change for the portion that goes through their jurisdictions. So, it's not quite a done deal. Nonetheless, Trump jumped at the chance to declare victory. "It has been brought to my attention that the Great State of Florida, which I won BIG three times, and where I am a proud Resident, has renamed an important four-mile stretch of Southern Boulevard, in Palm Beach County, to 'PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP BOULEVARD,'" Trump wrote on Truth Social within hours after the vote on July 8. I'll bet that this is the first time this stretch of roadway that includes the Gas Food Mart, the La Familia Coin Laundry and the Take 5 Oil Change garage has been called 'important' by a U.S. president. Opinion: You're paying attention to the wrong conspiracy ‒ A message from the White House Not to nitpick, but while it's true that Trump carried Florida in the past three presidential elections, he lost in Palm Beach County every time. Hillary Clinton beat Trump here in 2016 with 56.57% of the vote, Joe Biden beat Trump in the county in 2020 with 55.97% of the vote, and Kamala Harris beat Trump last year in Palm Beach County with 49.77% to 49%. In other words: We're not all that into Trump when compared with other places in Florida. It's understandable then why local residents like Butler are peeved that we get stuck with honoring the 'felonious' Trump. Even so, it's unlikely that renaming this portion of Southern Boulevard after Trump is going to be reconsidered. Google Maps is already listing previous Southern Boulevard addresses in this stretch between Mar-a-Lago and Kirk Road to the new Trump name. I propose 'Jeffrey Epstein Way' The solution could be to embrace the name change and pair it with another one that would serve as a fix. I'm proposing 'Jeffrey Epstein Way' on what is now an 'important section' of Ocean Boulevard that leads to Mar-a-Lago. As revelations continue to spill out about Trump's friendship with Epstein, a sexual abuser of underage girls, it's becoming quite clear that the president doesn't want the kind of disclosures he promised the MAGA base during his reelection campaign. He now says that the Epstein matter is 'boring' and a 'hoax,' and that we should move on. This just makes him sound like somebody with a lot to hide. Opinion: Trump wants you to forget the Epstein files. But he started the conversation. So here's my idea. Let's get behind another road name change that might also be somewhat premature. Epstein's Palm Beach home was on El Brillo Way, a small street that feeds into Ocean Boulevard, about a mile north of Mar-a-Lago. Naming that stretch of Ocean Boulevard after Epstein will geographically be a reminder that Epstein leads to Trump's door. To spell it out: President Donald J. Trump Boulevard ends to the east at Mar-a-Lago, which would be the southern endpoint to Jeffrey Epstein Way. They'd be connected. I think this might be the only way that everybody in Palm Beach County could agree with having a road named after Trump. Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, where this column originally published. He can be reached at FCerabino@
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- General
- Indianapolis Star
Photos show massive snakes captured in Florida Python Challenge
These hunters couldn't just slither their way out of this one! In order to win a cash prize, they had to face a snake head-on. Hailing from the U.S. and Canada, more than 900 people participated in this year's Florida Python Challenge. The annual 10-day hunt, which ran from July 11 to July 20, encouraged participants to remove invasive Burmese pythons from several locations in South Florida, according to The Palm Beach Post and Naples Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission organizes the competition targeting the invasive Burmese pythons, which pose a threat to other animals in the Florida Everglades. "The Florida Python Challenge is an exciting conservation effort which helps protect the rare Everglades habitat and the animals that live there from these invasive, nonnative snakes," according to the challenge website. The winners will receive a cash prize in the professional, novice and military categories, according to the reports. This year's winners haven't been announced yet. Contributing: The Palm Beach Post, Naples Daily News, USA TODAY Network.
USA Today
5 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Photos show massive snakes captured in Florida Python Challenge
These hunters couldn't just slither their way out of this one! In order to win a cash prize, they had to face a snake head-on. Hailing from the U.S. and Canada, more than 900 people participated in this year's Florida Python Challenge. The annual 10-day hunt, which ran from July 11 to July 20, encouraged participants to remove invasive Burmese pythons from several locations in South Florida, according to The Palm Beach Post and Naples Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission organizes the competition targeting the invasive Burmese pythons, which pose a threat to other animals in the Florida Everglades. "The Florida Python Challenge is an exciting conservation effort which helps protect the rare Everglades habitat and the animals that live there from these invasive, nonnative snakes," according to the challenge website. The winners will receive a cash prize in the professional, novice and military categories, according to the reports. This year's winners haven't been announced yet. National Parks: Yellowstone officials shut down rumors of animals leaving due to possible volcanic eruption Take a look at the Florida Python Challenge 2025 More photos from the 2025 Florida Python Challenge Contributing: The Palm Beach Post, Naples Daily News, USA TODAY Network. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
