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Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boynton's half-finished Town Square project gets $35 million from city to finish work
BOYNTON BEACH — After weeks of deliberation and nearly eight years for it to come to fruition, the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency approved Time Equities' request for a $35 million tax-increment financing plan to complete the city's long-delayed Town Square Project. 'We're here to do our best,' said Francis Greenburger, owner of Time Equities, who was seated in the front row at the May 13 board meeting. 'We're committed to realizing what we hope will be a high-quality project consistent with the vision that Boynton had for itself. … Give us the tools and we'll go to work.' Following lengthy discussions with the New York-based development company and much input from the public the past several weeks, the CRA voted to approve the $35 million request, passing it 4-1. The vote came after an attorney-client closed-door session, also known as a shade meeting, between city commissioners that lasted about an hour. A shade meeting is a session that allows a city's board or commission members to meet privately with an attorney to discuss public matters in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law. Boynton Beach Mayor Rebecca Shelton, along with commissioners Thomas Turkin, Aimee Kelley, and Woodrow Hay, all voted in favor of the TIF request. Commissioner Angela Cruz was the sole vote against the deal. 'Metrics don't lie,' Turkin said. 'This isn't a perfect situation. This isn't a perfect project. You know how I feel about the project in its entirety. You know how split and divided residents are. But, I think if you look at this economically and you look at the metrics … they don't pick sides.' 'I'm not going to let perfect be the enemy of good,' he added. Despite formerly expressing disapproval, Turkin believes that the project will positively stimulate the city's economy, creating what he calls an 'economic boom.' 'I think it's in our best interest to move forward with this,' he said. Cruz said she felt the tax-increment finance request, or TIF, was too high and expressed discomfort with placing such a hefty investment in just one project. 'I don't feel comfortable with providing 95% of our TIF,' Cruz said. 'We have multiple things that we're going to have to pay for as we grow as a city … (and) 95% is too much in my view. However, I do understand the reason for needing the tool.' The Town Square project began development in 2018. It started as a 16.5-acre mixed-use redevelopment project that included a city hall, library, fire station and an amphitheater in the heart of Boynton Beach. This portion of the project, the public sector, was completed in October 2020. However, the second half of the project, a private development in partnership with Boca Raton-based JKM Developers, sat idle for nearly seven years. After a lengthy standstill, Times Equities reimagined The Square and proposed a new plan — two eight-story complexes, hosting close to 900 apartments that stretch from Boynton Beach to Seacrest boulevards. The project was approved in April 2024. However, with a funding gap bringing the proposed eight-story complexes to a halt, developers turned to the city for money. The amount — a $35 million TIF, a price that had many residents up in arms and the CRA board divided. APRIL 2025: After hearing from residents, Boynton wants more feedback before Town Square project vote APRIL 2025: Boynton Town Square project is still only half-finished and new developer wants more money AUGUST 2018: New renderings released of Boynton Beach's Town Square project SEPTEMBER 2016: Boynton hopeful private group wants in on Town Square A TIF is a public financing plan intended to help community redevelopment projects and stimulate private investment in areas that need economic revitalization. Yet on May 13, the CRA voted to move forward with the project, approving the developer's expensive request. Robert Singer, Time Equities' director of development, assured the board their vote will not be in vain, maintaining his stance that the new development will create economic growth in Boynton Beach once completed. 'This is what drives jobs,' Singer said. 'What this is speaking to is permanent spending, permanent jobs, good jobs and businesses opening.' 'This is capturing the new people that come in, but then you have also the people that are living here who are going to have an opportunity to spend money. … It's a massive impact.' This vote may come as a surprise to some, as both residents and select board members — Turkin included — were initially against the request, stating that $35 million was an egregious ask from developers. In a previous CRA meeting, Turkin called the TIF request a 'bad deal' and said he could not agree to the developers' terms, nor the high amount. Local residents also expressed concerns regarding the height and density of the project, as well as the traffic and safety concerns that such a large development would welcome. 'I'm totally against this,' said Susan Oyer, Boynton Beach local and Realtor. Yet, with a sort of change in tune, she urged the board to approve the TIF request in hopes that developers would work with area residents to meet the needs of the community. 'There's no way to turn down this project,' she said. 'It's not a change of heart. It's acknowledging the reality of the situation, and if you play nice, hopefully you can get some accommodations … ways to make a project that no one's happy with a little bit better.' TE developers hope to begin the project by spring of 2026. They rejected the board's request to accelerate the projected start date. Yet, after nearly eight years of a vacant and 'blighted' lot surrounding Boynton's city hall, other residents are excited for the new development to take shape. 'I think the project is well designed. I think it's going to be impactful on our community in a very positive way,' said Anthony Barber, a resident of Boynton Beach. 'These are the kind of people we want to be in partnership with. … They're not here to just take,' he said regarding TE developers. 'The train is at the station. We need to be sure that we're on it for the benefit of our community.' This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boynton Beach votes to complete Town Square project
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House resurrects bid to restore attorney fees in insurance disputes
In an effort to keep alive their bid to resurrect the availability of so-called 'one-way attorneys fees' in lawsuits against insurers, the Florida House adopted a bill that added their proposal to an unrelated Senate bill on Friday. But if the House had hoped the amended bill would slip by the Senate, proponents of reforms that reduced insurers' legal costs are urging senators to reject it when it comes back to them in the coming days. 'I hope the Senate will do the right thing and be the adults in the room,' said Stacey Giulianti, chief legal officer at Boca Raton-based Florida Peninsula Insurance. The effort to restore the right of plaintiffs to claim attorneys fees in lawsuits against insurers has overshadowed dozens of other insurance-related bills introduced for the session, leaving only a handful with minor impacts poised for enactment. Citizens Insurance's letters broil frustrated customer in a 'depopulation' stew New insurer says it will be open to South Florida homeowner business It's time once again for insurers vs. attorneys in Florida's Legislature Until the late bid emerged, the Senate seemed content to ignore bills that would require insurers to once again pay fees incurred by policyholders who sue them. In arguing for the reforms three years ago, insurers said that the industry had become unprofitable due to an avalanche of frivolous lawsuits filed under a century-old Florida law. That law required insurers to pay legal fees if they agreed to settle litigation by paying as little as $1 over their original settlement offer. However, insurance customers were held harmless if they sued their insurers and lost. The reforms placed Florida's legal system on equal footing with most of the country, insurers said. Plaintiffs who sue are now required to pay attorneys out of their own pockets or a percentage of what they win. But attorneys say that leaves plaintiffs unable to challenge denials or underpayments of small claims because attorneys can't make enough money to justify taking their cases. Knowing that emboldens insurers to treat policyholders unfairly, attorneys say. A bill introduced prior to the current Legislative session by state Rep. Hillary Cassel, a Broward County Democrat-turned-Republican who is also a plaintiffs attorney, was approved by two House committees but still awaited a hearing by a third committee. Typically, bills must pass three committee hearings in both the House and Senate. But the Senate — potentially responding to warnings from insurance industry leaders, the state's insurance commissioner and Gov. Ron DeSantis — failed to schedule it for a single committee hearing. The Senate also ignored a bill by its former president, Don Gaetz, that would also have empowered judges to award attorney fees to plaintiffs who prevail in their lawsuits. On Wednesday, House member Berny Jacques attached language from the Cassel bill to an unrelated bill approved by the Senate clarifying that certain levels of radiation must be recorded before lawsuits could be brought against owners of former phosphate mines. Rather than 'one-way attorney fees,' supporters insist that the bill should actually be called a 'prevailing party' or 'loser pays' measure. It would require insurers to pay plaintiffs' attorney fees if a court awards them more than an amount offered by insurers, but plaintiffs would be required to pay insurers' fees if a court awards them less than the insurer proposed. During debate over the bill on Friday, Rep. Michael Gottlieb, who represents part of Broward County, predicted the prevailing party provision would 'discourage litigation because you're not going to want to, number one, prolong litigation, and number two, get involved in litigation that you're going to lose.' Rep. Tyler Sirois, from Brevard County, said the bill would reinstate 'balance.' He added, 'We made it too easy for insurers to delay, deny and underpay claims — making it harder for honest Floridians, whether they're carrying a hammer or a calculator, to fight back.' During the debate, no member of the House spoke against the amended bill and it was adopted by a vote of 80-20. As part of the back-and-forth that must occur to get a unified bill approved by the entire Legislature, the amended bill now goes back to the Senate, which could vote on the House's version, remove or change the amendment, or just let it die. Jacque's filing of the amendment on Wednesday set off a flurry of activity by industry supporters who again warned that passage would undermine progress tracked since the reforms were enacted, drive up litigation and force insurers to increase premiums. It also prompted Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky to send an email warning Peter Cuderman, Gov. DeSantis' director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs, that the bill could dismantle 'the hard-won progress' achieved by the 2022-2023 reforms. That progress, Yaworsky wrote, includes declining reinsurance costs for insurers, 65 rate filings that were either reduced or included no increases, introduction of 12 new insurers into Florida's market, and a 23% decrease in lawsuit filings year over year. Potential impact of the House's bill, he warned, included increases in lawsuits, insurer costs, reinsurance rates, private investment, and the population of state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the insurer of last resort. After the vote, the pro-industry Florida Chamber released a statement saying it would continue fighting to stop the bill, which also removes restrictions on medical claims by patients, from becoming law. 'Going backwards is the wrong move for Florida,' the statement said. 'We should allow these reforms to continue to work, not re-allow scamsters to artificially drive up medical costs to inflate verdicts and incentivize litigation over small dollar amounts with the promise of attorneys' fees for the people on the billboards.' Brian Murphy, who owns a Brightway insurance agency franchise in Palm Beach Gardens, said after the hearing that he favored keeping the reforms as they are. If positive trends continue, he said, 'it's a sign that the state's efforts to revitalize the insurance landscape are working.' Dulce Suarez-Resnick, an insurance agent based in Miami, said supporters predicted reforms wouldn't be felt for three years. 'We are two years in and I've already seen a lot of impact,' she said. 'The Legislature needs to be patient. We have one more year to go.' William Large, president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, said the House proposal would bring back 'one-way attorney fees.' 'Unless an insurer gets a zero verdict, they're going to end up paying attorneys fees,' he said. Also troublesome, Large said, is a provision of the bill that would allow attorney fees to be awarded if a plaintiff wins a 'declaratory judgment,' which is simply a declaration by the court that an insurer is responsible for paying a claim. It's 'going to create an incentive for attorneys to litigate declaratory judgment actions to generate fees,' Large said. The handful of bills headed to the governor's desk after approval by both chambers include: — SB 114 / HB 1097 — Transfers hurricane loss projection modeling from Florida International University to Florida State University. — SB 1076 / HB 715 — Expands roofing contractors' scope of work to include evaluation and enhancement of roof-to-wall connections; narrows cancellation window for contracts signed after emergencies. — SB 176 / HB 1041 — Limits property tax increases for homes elevated to prevent flood damage if voters approve constitutional amendment in November 2026. — SB 948 / HB 1015 — Requires landlords to provide flood risk information to tenants before signing leases. Gives tenants 30 days after a flood to terminate a lease if the disclosures are not provided and the tenant suffers flood damage. Meanwhile, a long list of bills received no hearings in committee, made it through fewer than the required number of committee stops, or were ignored by one or the other chamber. Giulianti doesn't want to see any of them enacted this year. 'It's best for the Legislature to continue to let all the (2022 and 2023) changes work their way through the system through all of the insurance renewal cycles, and then decide next year if anything needs tweaking,' he said. Property insurance bills left on the table would have allowed policyholders to: — Hold the owners of fallen trees responsible for damage to their properties. — Protect personal information entered into Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection forms. — Access rate transparency reports or see rating examples for their counties in filings to the Office of Insurance Regulation. — Learn how their premiums are being distributed among subsidiaries, captive vendors, management companies and reinsurers. — Require that their insurer pay specific fees for services provided by affiliates. — Tap into a $500 million emergency trust fund if they are having trouble paying their insurance bill. — Hold their surplus lines insurer responsible to pay up to the full amount of the insured value set in their policy. — Require that their insurer participate in mandatory dispute resolution hearings prior to litigating. — If they are a Citizens customer located outside of a FEMA flood zone, get out of the new requirement to hold flood insurance. — Weigh advice from an Insurance Solutions Advisory Council or have access to a consumers guide to homeowner insurance. — Be protected from cancellation while trying to repair damage from floods or hurricanes. — Seek reimbursement for wind and flood damage mitigation projects through the My Safe Florida Home program. Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071 or by email at rhurtibise@
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
See photos of new self-driving shuttle roaming downtown West Palm Beach
Driverless technology has come to downtown West Palm Beach with the debut of its new self-driving minibus making its way around CityPlace. Boca Raton-based tech company Guident debuted its autonomous bus to pick up passengers along its one-mile route connecting the West Palm Beach Brightline train station and the parking garage on Sapodilla Avenue and Hibiscus Street. The vehicle is almost driverless. A human operator on an Xbox video game controller occupied one seat on its initial run. The Xbox was plugged into the shuttle to manually steer it if its self-driving software didn't stop the bus when people or things suddenly blocked it. Chris Persaud covers transportation in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email news tips and ideas to cpersaud@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Photos: Self-driving shuttle in downtown West Palm Beach
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's time once again for insurers vs. attorneys in Florida's Legislature
Like a sea monster that emerges every so often to stir up the populace, so too does the never-ending battle in Florida between the insurance industry and plaintiffs attorneys. Three years after insurers persuaded legislators to end 'one-way attorneys fees' that they claimed pushed the industry to the brink of bankruptcy, the 2025 Florida Legislative session began with four new proposals supported by plaintiffs attorneys. Those proposals would reinstate those controversial fees. Only now they are renamed as 'prevailing party' fees. And insurers are warning that they will undo price stabilization they say was made possible by declines in litigation that followed the ban on one-way fees. This year's return of insurers vs. attorneys comes with a new wrinkle: Some lawmakers say they were outraged when they found out in February that insurers break off their administrative functions into separate entities that can generate millions in profits even if the underwriting arms lose money. That outrage, and the report's emergence just before the spring Legislative session, could provide momentum for passage of one of the prevailing party bills this year. As in the past, not all of the most consequential bills will make it to the May 2 finish line this year. Some might not make it to a committee hearing — a necessary first step. Here are key bills generating discussion, beginning with those that have already survived committee hearings: SB 426 (Sen. Jonathan Martin) / HB 1551 (Rep. Hillary Cassel) — Attorney fees would once again be paid to policyholders who prevail in insurance disputes if this bill is enacted. SB 426 requires fees for named or omnibus insured or the 'prevailing party,' while Martin's bill specifies fees would be paid to 'third-party' litigants. The Senate bill would appear to revive incentives for benefit assignees — not just policyholders — to sue insurers. The House version passed 16-1 by the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee on March 13. Commenting about the bill to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Stacey Giulianti, chief legal officer at Boca Raton-based Florida Peninsula Insurance, said the bill would once again give billions to 'trial lawyers' and reverse rate reductions he said resulted from the 2022 reforms. 'They are throwing the consumers under the bus to save a cottage industry of a small number of lawyers,' he said. But Anthony Lopez, CEO of Miami-based law firm Your Insurance Attorney, said the bill would 'help level the playing field for Florida policyholders.' He added, 'It is not fair to a policyholder that is forced to sue their insurance company, win and then have to pay a portion of the money earmarked to fix their home in attorney fees and costs. How are they supposed to fix their homes?' SB 1740 (Sen. Blaise Ingoglia) — Eligibility for $10,000 grants from the My Safe Florida Home Program must result in insurance credits, discounts or other rate differentials under this bill. It would require insurers that apply to operate in Florida to hold reserves of at least $35 million more than they need to pay claims. It would establish that anyone who serves as an officer of an insurance company that becomes insolvent within five years of the insolvency cannot serve as an officer, director, managing general agent or attorney in fact of any other insurer, or its affiliate, in the state. The bill passed 7-0 by Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on March 17 with an amendment barring insurers from solely using artificial intelligence to deny claims. Republican Rep. Yvette Benarroch, of Marco Island, is sponsoring a similar bill in the House. Lopez said the bill would provide 'meaningful protections for Florida policyholders by promoting financial stability in the insurance market and ensuring homeowners receive tangible benefits from mitigation programs.' The ban on officers of failed companies from serving in other companies or affiliates, he said, would protect consumers from 'unstable companies.' Politics | Property insurance bill would repeal 2022 reforms that stabilized the market, insurers say Politics | Suing insurers would become easier under bill that passes first legislative hurdle Politics | Two years after reforms, lawmakers share insurance horror stories Steve Rogosin, owner of Plantation-based insurance agency Rogosin Insurance, said he disagrees with the bill's goal of only providing state funds for improvements that would reduce insurance bills. Some insurers require all of a home's openings to be protected before providing discounts, he said. Providing funds to protect some of them, he said, 'will greatly protect the home' while allowing homeowners to install the rest of their protections at a later time. SB 1656 (Sen. Jay Collins) / HB 1429 (Rep. Tom Fabricio) — This bill compiles changes requested by the Office of Insurance Regulation. It would require rate transparency reports written in precise and plain language to accompany every rate filing and every offer of coverage or policy renewal submitted to policyholders. The bill would require adoption of rules to maintain cybersecurity of consumers' nonpublic insurance data. Insurers would be limited to submitting only two 'use and file' filings per year unless the filing is exclusively related to reinsurance. The report would reveal the percentages of rates attributed to reinsurance, claims costs, defense and containment costs, fees and commissions, profit and contingency and any other factor deemed necessary by regulators. The report must also include any adverse findings by the Office of Insurance Regulation over the previous three years, and whether the insurer uses affiliated entities. The bill would remove property insurers' right to designate county-level rating examples as 'trade secrets' in filings to regulators. It would establish a statewide database of storm-hardening improvements undertaken by homeowners. It would also tighten regulation of warranty service companies, health maintenance organizations, reciprocal insurers and continuing care retirement communities. The Senate version was passed 7-0 by Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on March 17, while Collins said that revisions to the bill would continue as it progresses. During a discussion of the bill at Monday's Senate Banking and Insurance Committee hearing, several residents and officials of Florida's continuing care retirement communities said the proposals would be too expensive. One resident said she liked the bill's proposal to prioritize return-of-entry fees to residents when CCRCs file for bankruptcy. Lisa Miller, former deputy insurance commissioner who is now a consultant, told the Sun Sentinel that requiring transparency reports for rates would not make premiums more understandable to consumers. Instead, she said, 'let's ensure agents explain the (the difference between the) premium and the rate. This discussion should occur at the time of sale.' SB 1508 (Sen. Tom Leek) / HB 1087 (Rep. Randy Maggard) — Policyholders and insurers would be required to participate in mandatory dispute resolution hearings before litigation could commence. Either party could file a petition to the Division of Administrative Hearings. Legal counsel would be permitted but not required. Policyholders requesting hearings would be required to certify that they made a good-faith effort to resolve the dispute. Administrative law judges would have 180 days after petitions are filed to make final determinations. The bill would also require property insurers to pay claims and seek repayment from the homeowner's flood or windstorm insurance provider. Miller said the bill would remove choices for consumers to resolve disputes. She also said that insurers could go bankrupt if required to pay flood claims. Joe Ligman, a plaintiffs attorney based in Palmetto Bay, said the requirement would likely reduce costs and avoid lawsuits, but could be challenged on constitutional grounds. Policyholders would be 'denied due process and a right to a jury trial,' he said. 'The bill gives one person (the administrative law judge) a lot of power.' SB 554 (Sen. Don Gaetz) / HB 451 (Rep. Alex Andrade) — Like the Martin-Cassel bill, insurers say this bill would reopen one-way attorney fees to policyholders and their attorneys who prevail in litigation. Insurers would not be required to pay any of their policyholders' attorneys fees only if an award is less than 20% over what the policyholder demands. Payment of all plaintiffs attorney fees would be required under several circumstances, including if the plaintiff's demand is deemed reasonable by the court. Enactment of the bill would eliminate any risk of policyholders having to pay their insurer's legal fees. Insurers would be required to create reports disclosing all of their subsidiaries, management companies, captive vendors, and reinsurers, as well as their financial relationships with the entities and financial details of the companies and their executive officers. Information obtained would have to be used in rate setting. Other proposals would increase the interest rate on insurance judgments or settlements from 4% to 8% and require insurers and policyholders to share equally in any mediation costs. Ligman says the bill would 'level the playing field' by placing a check on insurers who he says have used the 2022 reforms to increase premiums and make 'huge profits.' He also said the interest rate should be increased to keep up with inflation but pointed out that insurers have always paid for presuit mediation. 'Why should the insured be penalized for disputing an underpaid claim?' he asked. Mark Friedlander, corporate communications director for the industry-funded Insurance Information Institute, said the four bills that would enable policyholders to collect legal fees when they prevail against insurers amount to 'a gateway to the next Florida risk crisis' that would generate 'higher premiums for consumers and businesses while destabilizing the insurance market.' SB 724 (Sen. Jonathan Martin) / HB 599 (Rep. Nan Cobb) — Property owners would be liable for damage to others' properties caused by their trees or shrubs. Currently, landowners are responsible for damage on their own properties regardless of where the fallen tree or shrub is planted. Miller said the bill would 'force homeowners to find their neighbors so the neighbor can file a claim.' She added, 'the administration of this is unworkable.' Ligman called it 'a good bill to force landowners to maintain their trees,' but predicted it might increase litigation. SB 790 (Sen. Jennifer Bradley) / HB 841 (Rep. Adam Botana) — Insurance cancellations or nonrenewals on flood-damaged properties would be allowed only after repairs are complete, and one policy renewal would be required if the damaged property was not covered by flood insurance. Insurance could be canceled or nonrenewed before repairs are completed for reasons such as nonpayment of premiums or fraud. Repaired structures could be deemed insurable by licensed professionals including engineers, architects, and inspectors. Insurance agent Brian Murphy, owner of a Brightway insurance franchise in Palm Beach County, said he agrees with the purpose of the bill. 'Policyholders who complete timely repairs deserve protection,' he said, 'while those who fail to do so after claims are paid should face consequences to ensure market stability.' Christopher W. Heidrick, owner of the Sanibel-based Heidrick & Company agency, said that without the protection provided by the bill, insurers can cancel or nonrenew properties and leave homeowners exposed to damages from another storm and property owners in default of their mortgage loan terms. Most mortgage lenders require borrowers to keep their properties insured. SJR 1190 (Sen. Blaise Ingoglia) — Enactment of the Senate Joint Resolution would send to voters in 2026 a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting property tax assessments from reflecting higher values resulting from improvements to reduce flood damage risk to a homesteaded properties. SB 1192 (Sen. Blaise Ingoglia) — Would freeze property taxes for 20 years for homeowners who elevate their homes. Miller cautions that the two proposals would deplete counties of needed tax revenues. Murphy questioned whether the bills would benefit the broader market or only a select few who can afford to elevate their homes. SB 1020 (Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez) / HB 1073 (Rep. Jim Mooney) — Annual rate increases for state-owned Citizens Insurance would be capped at 10% in counties determined by the Office of Insurance Regulation to lack a 'reasonable degree of competition.' Currently that description applies only to Monroe and Miami-Dade counties. Properties designated as X zones by the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be exempted from Citizens' requirement that its customers maintain flood insurance. The bill would also exempt properties that are elevated at least one foot above the flood zone's minimum base flood elevation. SB 1448 (Sen. Nick DiCeglie) / HB 705 (Rep. Jose Alvarez) — Caps on rate increases by Citizens Property Insurance Corp., known as the 'glide path,' would be exempted for new policies written after June 1. Miller supports the bill, saying that new Citizens customers would be charged the 'right' market-based rate while existing customers would be grandfathered in at the subsidized rate. 'It is a great bill,' she said. Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071 or by email at rhurtibise@
Miami Herald
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
NSU men's basketball's home winning streak could continue on Saturday in South Regional
The Sharks got the record. They have the Sunshine State Conference regular-season and postseason titles, too. Now, they want the big one – the NCAA Division II men's basketball national title. The Nova Southeastern University Sharks (30-1) found out late Sunday night that they will again host the South Region championships, starting with Saturday's game against Savannah State (18-11). Tip-off time has not yet been determined. NSU, which broke the Division II record on Sunday with its 81st consecutive home win, will be heavily favored over Savannah State. After all, NSU is the nation's second-ranked team, and Savannah State is unranked. If the seeds hold up, the Sharks would play the nation's 13th-ranked team, Valdosta State (25-6), in the region semifinals on Sunday. The Blazers rank second in the nation in fast-break points, fifth in steals and fifth in total points per game. However, Valdosta State will have to get past Boca Raton-based Lynn University (20-8). The Fighting Knights rank second in the nation with 13.3 3-pointers per game. If the seeds hold up on both sides of the bracket, the Sharks would play Alabama-Huntsville (30-1) in the South Region final on Tuesday March 18. Huntsville is on the longest active win streak in the nation -- 30 games. The Chargers' only loss came in the season opener, when NSU traveled to Alabama and beat Huntsville 105-104 in overtime. The other side of the South Region includes two teams NSU beat in the SSC tournament – Florida Southern (25-8) and Tampa (20-10). Montevallo (20-10) is the other team in that side of the bracket, and the Falcons are seeded just sixth out of eight teams in this field. However, Montevallo lost by just two points, 81-79, to Valdosta State in the Gulf South Conference semifinals. NSU, which leads the nation in scoring at 105.0 points per game, is hoping to repeat its feat of 2023, when the Sharks won the only national title in program history. The Sharks, coached by Jim Crutchfield since March of 2017, finished second in the nation last year. This year's Elite Eight national tournament is set for March 25-29 in Evansville, Indiana. Two teams who are expected to make it to the Elite Eight are Daemon and West Liberty. Daemon (27-0) is the only undefeated team in the nation. The New York-based school is ranked No. 1 in the nation. West Liberty (27-4) is Crutchfield's former team. Beyond that, West Liberty – located in West Liberty -- runs a high-powered offense, which includes a 162-106 win over Salem last month. Meanwhile, NSU's women's basketball team (25-6) is seeded third in the South Region, which will be hosted by Union (Tennessee). The Sharks will play sixth-seeded Alabama-Huntsville in the first round. THIS AND THAT ▪ FIU's football team on Tuesday will start its first full week in pads as spring practice continues for the Panthers. 'Hopefully our mentality won't change,' FIU defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt said. 'Now, we'll find out who puts their face in the fan and who doesn't.' ▪ Barry University's women's tennis team (10-1) has shut out five straight opponents. They are ranked third in the nation in NCAA Division II. ▪ St. Thomas University's freshman 174-pounder Kris Ketchum lost in the championship round of the NAIA wrestling finals in Wichita, Kansas. STU swimmers Stella Warborn (200 breaststroke), Mireya Bonilla (3-meter diving) and Haley VanBuskirk (800 free) won national titles at Elkhart, Indiana. ▪ Florida Memorial won a conference title in competitive cheer on Saturday in Decatur, Alabama. ▪ Miami Dade College's men's and women's basketball teams will both play Chipola in the state playoffs. The MDC women (21-9) will play on Wednesday. MDC's men (18-12) will play on Thursday.
