Miami, FL
Coral Springs Marriott cancels Muslim conference, organizers call move
CORAL SPRINGS – The South Florida Muslim Federation is upset after a hotel canceled the group’s conference days before the scheduled event.
Critics claimed that speakers at the event would spread antisemitism. Marriott management heard enough to act. However, the response triggered cries of racism.
“We didn’t think racism would prevail in South Florida in this way,” Jalal Shehadah, a member of the federation said.
“There was so much evidence against this organization,” Joe Kaufman, a former politician who complained to hotel management about the event.
The federation represents all mosques in the region to promote unity and support both Muslim and non-Muslim communities according to Shehadah. Last year, the group partnered with the Miami Heat for “Muslim Night” at Kaseya Center during an NBA game. The federation also hosted a forum with law enforcement in 2020. Starting in 2023, the group began hosting a conference at the Marriott in Coral Springs.
However, Kaufman, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress three times in the past, wrote an article online that claimed the federation supports terrorism.
“We were concerned about a lot of the things the organization was promoting online and a number of the speakers who were supporting Hamas and antisemitism on social media,” Kaufman said.
The federation booked the hotel last May. The group sold 1000 tickets, hired 25 vendors, purchased airfare to bring speakers to the event and began promotion months ago.
One week before the conference, though, a petition that cites part of Kaufman’s article popped up online with thousands of signatures seeking to ban the conference.
Kaufman and four others met with the hotel’s general manager.
Then, Shehadah’s phone ran with bad news.
“(Management) described that there were undesirable circumstances and they claimed that they could not get enough security to cover the event to allow us to have the event,” Shehadah said. “Yet we’re the ones responsible for the security. They didn’t ask us if we could get the security.”
“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and team members,” Mark C. Cherry, General Manager of the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel and Convention Center, said via email. “We have determined that there is an increased risk to the safety and security of hotel guests, team members and the community with the South Florida Muslim Federation’s upcoming event at our hotel. After careful consideration of these issues, we have made the decision not to host this event at our hotel this year.”
Shehadah said the federation and Muslims frequently use the hotel for other events. The former member of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council is more than hurt. Shehadah said the federation is scrambling to find a new home for their conference. He feels something bigger at stake too.
“We have not been provided one credible threat that would support (the hotel canceling the conference),” he said. “The only thing we’ve been provided are racist, baseless accusations that are built on an islamophobe’s bigoted point of view: that every Muslim is a terrorist.”
“If there were Muslims that wish to condemn Hamas and condemn this organization for having individuals speak here and promote Hamas and they’re condemning them with me I would hug them, shake their hand and want to work with them as I do many Muslims,” Kaufman said.
The federation is close to securing a new venue for the conference which begins Friday and ends Saturday, January 13th.
Miami, FL
RedHawks Outlast Huskies 6-5 in OT Thriller – Miami University RedHawks
Six different RedHawks scored a goal in the contest to help Miami improve to 8-3-0, 2-3-0 NCHC. Gavyn Thoreson led the Huskies (6-7-0, 1-4-0 NCHC) with a pair of goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- 11:40 1st (Miami 1-0) | The RedHawks opened the scoring on a first-period power play. After a Casper Nassen blast sailed wide, Maximilion Helgeson retrieved the puck and teed up Michael Quinn for a one-timer from the top of the zone to make it 1-0.
- 2:20 2nd (Miami 2-0) | Miami made it 2-0 early in the middle stanza when Michael Phelan grabbed a puck near his own blue line and raced forward to start a 2-on-1 break. Phelan laid a pass ahead for Ethan Hay, who slid the puck under goaltender Yan Shostak’s legs. Shostak was unable to find the puck or prevent it from crossing the line, while Nicholas Mikan battled to keep the play alive. Hay was ultimately credited with the goal to double the RedHawks’ lead.
- 5:26 2nd (SCSU 2-1) | The visitors got on the board three minutes later, capitalizing on a turnover behind the Miami net for an unassisted goal by Barrett Hall.
- 13:22 2nd (SCSU 2-2) | St. Cloud State evened the score at 2-2 when Finn Loftus held the puck in the zone and flung it in front to Grant Ahcan, who backhanded a shot around Miami’s Matteo Drobac.
- 16:39 2nd (Miami 3-2) | An aggressive forecheck by Ilia Morozov and Kocha Delic forced a giveaway in the Huskies’ zone, and Delic took advantage, taking a pass from David Deputy and ripping a shot to give the RedHawks the lead.
- 6:16 3rd (SCSU 3-3) | The Huskies responded with a shorthanded goal moments after a Miami player exited the penalty box, as Thoreson tracked down a puck ahead of the defense and absorbed a hit behind the goal before finishing with his backhand.
- 14:10 3rd (Miami 4-3) | Miami re-gained the lead with 5:50 to play after Helgeson attempted a wraparound goal and the puck was eventually deflected in front for Deputy to deposit in the back of the net. Ryan Smith had the second assist on the play for the Red and White.
- 14:29 (Miami 5-3) | The RedHawks struck again quickly, as a pass along the blue line from Quinn to Vladislav Lukashevich led to a long-range shot that Casper Nassen perfectly redirected in mid-air for a 5-3 cushion just 19 seconds after the previous goal.
- 15:28 3rd (SCSU 5-4) | SCSU wouldn’t go away, pulling its goalie for an extra attacker in what would have been a 4-on-4 situation otherwise and getting rewarded with a goal to halve the deficit. Barrett Hall received a pass from Austin Burnevik and took a shot that Tyson Gross tipped home.
- 16:58 3rd (SCSU 5-5) | With both teams still down a player in the penalty box, the visitors found a 4-on-4 equalizer. Thoreson stickhandled inside the Miami defense and tied the game with just over three minutes remaining after an assist by Mason Reiners.
- 1:10 OT (Miami 6-5) | The hosts sent the capacity crowd home happy, as Kyle Aucoin’s backcheck helped spring Giampa and Deputy on a 2-on-1 break. Coming down the right side, Giampa kept the puck and let loose with a shot over Shostak to help Miami improve to 3-0 in overtime games this season.
NOTES
- With an attendance of 3,642, Friday’s game marked the first capacity sellout at Cady Arena since March 6, 2015.
- The RedHawks out-shot the Huskies 34-19, matching the fewest shots Miami has allowed in a conference game since yielding 17 on Feb. 23, 2018.
- Giampa was named the game’s First Star, while Deputy earned Second Star honors.
- Deputy netted his first career goal and produced his first career multi-point game.
- Quinn (1-1-2), Nassen (1-1-2) and Helgeson (0-2-2) also had two points apiece for Miami.
- Helgeson had two assists in a game for the first time as a RedHawk.
- Drobac improved to 8-3 between the pipes this year and made 14 saves.
- Miami had six different goal-scorers in the same game for the first time since a 7-4 win at Mercyhurst in December 2021.
- Quinn reached the 20-point mark for his Miami career and scored a goal for the second game in a row.
- Delic tallied his team-leading 13th point of the year.
- Lukashevich, who came into the game ranking among the top 20 players in the country in assists per game, picked up his 10th helper of the year.
- Aucoin returned to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 11 and tallied his first point as a RedHawk with the overtime assist.
- Miami held the nation’s top power-play unit (32.7% coming in) without a goal in four attempts.
- The RedHawks debuted new black jerseys with gold accents to pay tribute to the history of Miami Athletics and the Cradle of Coaches.
UP NEXT:
Miami and St. Cloud State will face off again on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 6:05 p.m. in Oxford. Tickets are still available here.
Miami, FL
Miami-Dade residents urge commissioners to block Coral Way rezoning, fearing neighborhood disruption
WESTCHESTER — Residents living off Coral Way are asking Miami-Dade County commissioners to block an appeal that would rezone a home on Southwest 24th Street, a move they believe could open the door for larger development and disrupt the character of their longtime neighborhood.
Home at center of dispute
The property at 7945 Southwest 24th Street is at the center of the debate. The owner wants to change the zoning from RU-1, a single-family designation, to RU-5A, a semi-professional office zone. The owner’s zoning consultant says the plan is only to enclose the carport and create a small office space, but neighbors say they are not convinced.
Residents cite past resolution
Several residents argue that the rezoning is unnecessary. They point to a 1991 resolution that allows businesses along Southwest 24th Street to operate while still remaining under the single-family designation. They worry a zoning change would become the first step toward larger development.
Neighbors voice strong opposition
Anthony Scremin, who owns a business next door, believes the owner isn’t considering the impact on the community. “He doesn’t give a damn about the people here,” he said.
Neighbors like Nelson Melendres, who has lived directly behind the home for more than 40 years, say the issue is not the current use but what could come next.
“I know what the traffic is. I don’t mind this at all, but you guys changing it to a different zoning, I have a problem with it,” he said. “I guarantee you that the moment this is changed, something else is going to happen.”
Concerns about traffic and developers
Others voiced concerns about traffic and the risk that developers might try to assemble lots if the zoning changes. Resident Danny Diaz said once zoning changes begin, it becomes easier for developers to approach other property owners. Rick Sanchez echoed that, saying such changes could make homes more valuable to developers and potentially lead to a project that “would totally change the way this neighborhood feels.”
Previous attempt already failed
The rezoning attempt already failed once, back in July. One woman walking her dog summed up the concern simply: “I like our neighborhood the way it is.”
Commission to hear appeal Thursday
The appeal goes before the Miami-Dade County Commission on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Residents say they plan to show up and fight to keep the zoning unchanged.
Miami, FL
Jaquez and Miami take on Golden State in non-conference play
Golden State Warriors (9-7, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Miami Heat (8-6, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Heat -6.5; over/under is 230.5
BOTTOM LINE: Miami and Golden State face off in non-conference action.
The Heat have gone 6-1 at home. Miami is second in the NBA averaging 124.6 points and is shooting 48.8% from the field.
The Warriors have gone 4-7 away from home. Golden State is 1-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Heat average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 12.3 per game the Warriors allow. The Warriors average 16.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 14.6 per game the Heat allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaime Jaquez Jr. is averaging 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Heat. Norman Powell is averaging 19.0 points over the last 10 games.
Stephen Curry is averaging 27.9 points, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Warriors. Jimmy Butler III is averaging 33.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 62.5% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 5-5, averaging 121.8 points, 42.8 rebounds, 30.5 assists, 8.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.8 points per game.
Warriors: 5-5, averaging 113.4 points, 41.7 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 10.2 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.5 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Bam Adebayo: day to day (foot), Tyler Herro: out (ankle).
Warriors: De’Anthony Melton: out (knee), Jonathan Kuminga: day to day (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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