Reports: Former star Vince Carter to become first Raptor to have number retired

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida A&M University postponed its upcoming college football game against Alabama A&M because of Tropical Storm Helene.

The Rattlers rescheduled the game for Friday, Nov. 29, in anticipation of Helene strengthening into a major hurricane Wednesday while moving north toward the United States. Several models have Helene making landfall just south of Tallahassee.

Florida State, meanwhile, might need to adjust its travel schedule before playing at SMU on Saturday.

“We’re continuing to track that. There’s still a lot of information (to come),” Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Tuesday. “Today is a big day for gaining more information of what could be our reality. I feel good about the plans that we have. I feel good about any potential adjustments, if necessary. But it’s something that we’re absolutely tracking.”

Helene formed into a tropical storm Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea. Hurricane watches were issued for parts of Cuba, Mexico and a stretch of the Florida coastline, including Tampa Bay, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning has been issued for parts of the Florida Keys.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Monday in dozens of counties ahead of its arrival.

Helene could strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane before approaching the northeast Gulf Coast. Since 2000, eight major hurricanes have made landfall in Florida, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher.

Given the anticipated large size, storm surge, wind and rain will extend far from the center of the expected storm, especially on the east side.

___

AP sports:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he told a congressional committee Tuesday.

Favre made the disclosure as part of his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi. Favre, who does not face criminal charges, has repaid just over $1 million in speaking fees funded by a welfare program in the state and was also an investor in a biotech company with ties to the case. The biotech firm has said it was developing concussion treatments.

The former football star told the committee that he lost his investment in the company “that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others.”

“As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me — I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s — this is also a cause dear to my heart,” Favre said.

What causes Parkinson’s disease is unknown, and it is unclear if Favre’s disease is connected to his football career or head injuries. He said in 2022 that he estimates he experienced “thousands” of concussions in his two decades in the NFL.

Favre appeared at the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee hearing to advocate reform of the federal welfare system to better prevent fraud.

“The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years—because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me, those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I faced in football,” Favre said.

House Republicans have said a Mississippi welfare misspending scandal involving Favre and others points to the need for an overhaul in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

Favre has said he didn’t know the payments he received came from welfare funds and has noted his charity had provided millions of dollars to poor kids in his home state of Mississippi and in Wisconsin, where he played most of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

VANCOUVER – The union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver has voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with TransDev, which says it aims for full service to resume by the end of the week.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 voted Monday to ratify the deal, giving workers a “significant” wage increase, that the union says would address the staffing shortages.

TransDev says it’s pleased the three-week strike is coming to an end.

About 600 HandyDART employees started strike action on Sept. 3, pausing service except for essential medical trips.

ATU Local 1724 President Joe McCann says the strike showed the power of the union, and ratifying the contract is great for union members.

The union also says the new contract with TransDev pushes back on the use of taxis through creative language on shift scheduling and reporting.

Transdev is the contracted operator of HandyDART, which serves people who are unable to navigate the conventional transit system.

The company says in a statement that service “will resume progressively this week,” with the goal of normal service levels by Friday.

It says customers looking for information about particular trips can phone the HandyDART call centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.