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How a Former Dolphins Coach Helped Davis Become a Ball Hawk

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How a Former Dolphins Coach Helped Davis Become a Ball Hawk


Despite limited playing time, new Dolphins safety Ashtyn Davis has made the most of his opportunities, snagging eight interceptions in just 22 starts over five seasons with the New York Jets.

Meeting with the Miami media for the first time this past week, Davis was asked what fuels his playmaking ability. Looking back on his position switch at California, the 2020 third-round pick credited former Dolphins assistant coach Gerald Alexander with shaping his ball-hawking instincts.

“‘G.A.’ was monumental in my development,” Davis said of their three seasons together at California. “I switched from corner to safety around the time that he got there, and the guy would meet with me every single day early in the morning and just got me right.”

Davis earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a junior, his first season at safety. He snagged four interceptions in 13 games, a jump from just one in 24 games at corner, while also tallying 56 tackles and five passes defended. 

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He carried that momentum into his senior season with the Golden Bears, landing on the second-team All-Pac-12 roster after career highs in tackles (57), forced fumbles (2), and fumble recoveries (2) in 2019.

“I had an amazing college coach that emphasized getting the football and made that a priority,” Davis said of Alexander. “Whether it’s a run or pass play, I’m just trying to get that football.”

Alexander’s playing career began as a 2007 second-round pick of the Detroit Lions. He spent five seasons in the league, playing two games with the Dolphins in 2011. He started his coaching journey as a student assistant at Arkansas State in 2013 and spent three seasons at California (2017-19). He returned to Miami in 2020 for two seasons as defensive backs coach under Brian Flores. 

The Dolphins will be happy to no longer be facing Davis, who recorded four of his eight interceptions for the Jets against Miami. That included his one two-interception game, which came in the 2024 season finale at MetLife Stadium.

“That game was an interesting one,” Davis said. “It was the end of the year, and we knew our playoff hopes were obviously gone so we just went out there and had fun. I think on the second interception I pitched it to D.J. (Reed) and we’d been doing that in practice, they were not happy about it, but we just said we were going to go out there and have fun and we had a blast, and I think it showed. The whole defense was playing loose, and I think, I don’t know – that was definitely up there. That was probably my favorite game that I’ve played in in the league.”

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The Dolphins added Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu early in free agency after Jevon Holland agreed to a three-year deal with the New York Giants. Elijah Campbell also re-signed and Patrick McMorris, a sixth-round pick last season, remains in the mix. With 10 picks in the 2025 draft, Miami’s safety room is far from settled.

When asked if he’d help the younger players — specifically McMorris, who was also drafted out of Cal and whose brother was a college teammate — Davis said he plans to follow in Alexander’s footsteps as a mentor. 

“I feel like that’s my role as a teammate, is to help other people, especially young guys figure it out in the league,” Davis said. “Your career here a lot of times is very short, so I think you want to maximize that, so I’m here to help guys.”

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Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami

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Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami


Wives of several men being held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami are alleging their husbands are facing inhumane conditions following a transfer from the Krome Detention Center, where detainees were evacuated due to recent wildfires.

The women gathered outside the downtown Miami facility on Wednesday to call for basic humane treatment for their husbands.

The Federal Detention Center is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, not U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While ICE transferred the detainees to the federal facility, the Bureau of Prisons is responsible for conditions inside.

Among those speaking out was Judith Castellanos, whose husband, 51-year-old Marlon Cervelo, has been in immigration detention since 2023.

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“He is my husband, my brother, my confidant, my everything,” Castellanos said, adding that she fears for his life.

According to Castellanos, Cervelo was detained following his annual immigration appointment in 2023. Since then, he has been held at multiple facilities, including Alligator Alcatraz, Krome Detention Center and now the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.

Castellanos said the detainees are requesting basic necessities.

“They want something similar to what they had in Krome,” Castellanos said, noting the need for clean clothing and reliable access to drinking water.

Arianne Betancourt, an activist with the social justice organization The Workers Circle, echoed the families’ concerns.

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“Nobody should be denied access to water,” Betancourt said during a news conference.

While CBS News Miami was covering the event, Castellanos received a call from her husband inside the facility. Speaking in Spanish, Cervelo claimed conditions remain difficult.

“We still have no air conditioning in the rooms and no medicines,” Cervelo said.

Another spouse says deportation isn’t an option 

Another spouse, Annette Uset, said her husband, Daikel Dumont, is being held in solitary confinement.

“He told me the conditions that he was in, and I went ahead and contacted the news,” Uset said.

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Anisley Cortez said she is concerned for her husband, 41-year-old Noslen Sendra, who suffers from diabetes and acute pancreatitis. She alleged he is not receiving the necessary medication.

The three women said their husbands share similar immigration histories. Each was detained by immigration authorities after serving prison sentences for past criminal convictions. Because Cuba has not accepted their deportation, they have remained in federal custody.

CBS News Miami requested a response from the Federal Bureau of Prisons regarding the allegations.

In a statement, the agency acknowledged the facility experienced water pressure problems on July 1, but said inmates were provided additional bottled water while repairs were underway. Officials said the issue was resolved the following day.

The Bureau of Prisons also confirmed that one of the facility’s air-conditioning chillers malfunctioned on July 6, but stated the problem has been repaired and both chillers are operating normally.

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Despite those assurances, the families said they will continue to speak out until they see meaningful improvements in the treatment of their loved ones.

When asked if she would follow her husband to Cuba if deportation were an option, Castellanos replied, “I would follow him.”

According to the families, however, immigration officials have encouraged their husbands to self-deport to a third country, an option all three men have declined.



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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun

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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun


If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.

RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami

The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.

Photograph: Courtesy Royale Pizza NapoletanaRoyale Pizza Napoletana

What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.

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Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.





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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say

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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say


MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.

“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

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A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.

They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.

According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.

Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”

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Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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