MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addressed the contract status of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa prior to Wednesday’s first practice.

The first question asked of McDaniel was if Tua would be taking part in all or a portion of the preseason practices as he seeks a contract extension. McDaniel said the situation is “very fluid.”

“I think its important to acknowledge Tua is in the midst of contract negotiations,” McDaniel said. “That’s important to him and the football team.

“It’s very fluid. We’re taking it day-by-day. I know today I’m expecting what we did in the spring (and) we’ll move forward for what’s best for him and us.”

McDaniel added everyone is aware of the importance of these negotiations to the Dolphins and Tua and his family.

“Everybody know he wants a contract done. Everybody is trying their best to get a deal done.”

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Recent: Will Tua Tagovailoa participate in Miami Dolphins training camp practices?

Tua sat out some drills in the spring to make a point about his disatisfaction. That was after a discussion and agreement between the quarterback McDaniel.

By sitting out completely, Tua would have been fined $50,000 per day. He is playing under the contract he signed after being selected fifth overall by the Dolphins in 2020. He is seeking an extension in the $55 million a year range, similar to those signed by Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence.

The question of whether Tua would show up was answered Tuesday when players said he was in the building and they expected their quarterback to be at practice.

McDaniel does not expect Tua’s contract dispute to be a distraction to the team.

“I’m very proud of the team this offseason,” McDaniel said, adding he believes the team has “matured in how we go about our business.”

“In a different way its the same challenge you face (during the season). I’m not going to forecast how long it goes on. We’ll adjust as we see fit. All those things are a distraction if you allow it to be.

“I have no concerns about distractions and we together do the best we can to put our best step forward.”

McDaniel added it is very confident in his relationship with Tua, and said the quarterback can separate business from what it happening on the football field.

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – Low-income families in Miami-Dade County are getting much-needed housing help.

Local county officials celebrated the grand opening of Superior Manor Apartments Phase II on Tuesday in Northwest Miami-Dade.

The newly-built apartments offer 76 multi-family residences for families struggling with affordable housing.

Officials said the units are already occupied but more apartments are coming.

“I don’t think there’s any place in the country that is doing more in totality that we’re doing here in Miami-Dade County. New construction, we’ve got 32,000 units in the pipeline, remember, we’ve been talking about that. We also have prevented evictions, we also are subsidising people to be able to afford. We’re also preserving naturally occurring affordable housing,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

The apartments consists of one, two and three-bedroom units with private balconies.

The complex also has a community clubhouse, a fitness center and a rooftop deck.

The first phase was completed in 2018 and consisted of 139 units for mostly senior residents.

The bulk of the project is funded by the county’s affordable housing surtax.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In a galaxy not so far away, Miami’s Frost Science a fusion is bubbling. FilmGate Fusion at Frost Science to be exact. Las Vegas they may have the Sphere with its 360-degree concerts but we have the Frost Planetarium, which is showcasing artists every month from domes and beyond.

When art and science merge together. Something visually beautiful happens. And FilmGate Fusion at Frost Science wants to share the beauty.

Alec Warren: “It’s all about really bringing together the arts, science, technology and storytelling in order to entertain and engage audiences of different backgrounds, ages and interests.”

FilmGate Miami is the creative fuse to the science.

Diliana Alexander: “We want to inspire local creators to create these immersive dome experiences.”

From dome to virtual reality, seeing is believing.

Alec Warren: “You can come explore all the hands-on activities and experiences that we fill up here in the planetarium pre-show space. Then we typically have an hour of dome-related programming and you get to hear from guest speakers and creators after the films are over as well. It’s like going to the movies plus hearing from the creator of the movie.”

Engaging with musical beats is local artist and scientist, Aya.

Aya Umoh: “We create an immersive and interactive experience around a musician named My Guy Mars, a Grammy award-winning producer.”

My Guy Mars: ‘How you make me feel girl I like it.”

Aya Umoh: “They’ll hear his music he just released a song with Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes. You’ll learn about this artist but you’ll actually take on this intergalactic experience that allows you to move around the environment with our controller. Allows you to play with the experience and there’s no technology that you have to physically wear.”

Diliana Alexander: “What an amazing way to learn about physics in an immersive science and experience it through an artistic point of view I think that’s the best way to learn really.”

This month’s Fusion is on Thursday, July 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. and tickets cost $20.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.