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‘It was a piece of art.’ As Chief Hall Picnic returns, Carol City set to come alive

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‘It was a piece of art.’ As Chief Hall Picnic returns, Carol City set to come alive


The Miami Carol City High School band performs at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of a new Walmart Neighborhood Market store in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015.

The Miami Carol Metropolis Excessive Faculty band performs on the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of a brand new Walmart Neighborhood Market retailer in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015.

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WALTER MICHOT


MIAMI HERALD STAFF

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When a number of the older alumni have a look at Miami Carol Metropolis Senior Excessive Faculty, they see a lack of delight.

Perhaps it was as a result of the neighborhood misplaced a little bit of its id on the formation of Miami Gardens. Perhaps it was native youngsters now having extra faculty choices exterior of Carol Metropolis. Perhaps it was the college’s renovations that demolished the constructing the place the beloved Chief Corridor was positioned. Regardless, it was one thing that wanted to be addressed.

“A number of the youngsters now don’t have faculty delight,” mentioned Tracey Vincent, a 1998 graduate of Carol Metropolis. They should see “faculty delight, the place we got here from and the way we’re doing now. Lots of people who got here from Carol Metropolis are actually large.”

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That need led to the Chief Corridor Picnic, an annual gathering to have fun all issues Carol Metropolis. After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the festivities will return Saturday in Carol Metropolis Park with a live performance, digital giveaways and free meals.

“Individuals from Houston, Alabama, North Carolina, folks from New York — all of them fly all the way down to reunite with their classmates who they haven’t seen in years, generally a long time,” mentioned Moses Washington, a 1998 Carol Metropolis graduate.

The origins of the picnic might be traced again to Washington, Vincent and Lee “Freezy” Prince who, within the mid-2010s, started to debate how they might carry their hometown of Carol Metropolis collectively. On the time, they felt that neighborhood delight wasn’t the identical because it was. In order that they created a Fb group known as Chief Corridor, a preferred assembly place within the previous constructing, started including graduates and inspired everybody to symbolize their class. Then the thought of picnic was raised.

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“We needed to make sure all the kids locally see that we went to a faculty, we come again and we pour into the group,” mentioned Vincent, now a psychological well being counselor for Miami-Dade County Public Faculties.

The primary picnic occurred in 2016 and has grown in measurement ever since. 1000’s of individuals attended the 2018 and 2019 occasions. Metropolis officers started to pop in, together with then-Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert in 2018 whose dance abilities had been nonetheless a scorching subject almost 5 years later. Even the category competitors bought slightly extra fierce.

“Every class will give you their theme” for his or her tent, mentioned Prince, a 1996 graduate. “For example, Class of ‘98, their tent was resembling a soccer area for the yr they gained states. Class of 1990, that they had Zamunda — from the women to the dancers to all the pieces. Class of 2007, that they had an entire sweet store the place they had been feeding all the youngsters within the constructing. ‘96 had a membership, just like the Pac Jam, like a nightclub with music, DJs and all the pieces.”

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Myrticia Grey, a Carol Metropolis native who graduated in 2011, had been attending related alumni picnics for a while. However the Chief Corridor Picnic was in contrast to something she’d ever seen. A part of the attract needed to do with what Grey described because the “vitality” — alumni from courses way back to the Sixties have been recognized to return — but additionally the importance of the actual Chief Corridor.

“It was a spot the place ancestors have been, the legacies fashioned, the quantity of alternatives produced inside these buildings — it was one thing you’ll always remember,” Grey mentioned. “Chief Corridor was a really particular place. The entire construction — we had artwork, work, quotes all around the partitions — was one thing wonderful. I’d undoubtedly say it was a chunk of artwork.”

Added Prince: “It’s a badge of honor to truly stroll via Chief Corridor. So while you say ‘Chief Corridor Picnic,’ it reignites the entire group.”

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Though the 2022 picnic may not showcase the flare of years previous on tent decorations, the live performance lineup — which incorporates Trina, Main 9 and Kiddo Marv — absolutely will carry the group out. And if the picnic’s return shouldn’t be a cause sufficient to have fun, perhaps the circumstances that necessitated its hiatus is, says Washington.

“It’s going to be large,” Washington mentioned. “With us being quarantined and with COVID hitting us so exhausting, we misplaced loads of family members. This can be a nice time for us to get round our pals.”

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C. Isaiah Smalls II is a reporter overlaying race and tradition for the Miami Herald. Beforehand, he labored for ESPN’s The Undefeated as a part of their inaugural class of Rhoden Fellows. He’s a graduate of each Columbia College and Morehouse Faculty.





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Video shows arrest of ex-North Miami school worker accused of showing explicit photo to student

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Video shows arrest of ex-North Miami school worker accused of showing explicit photo to student


NORTH MIAMI, Fla. — New video obtained exclusively by Local 10 News on Thursday shows the arrest of a former maintenance worker who also worked as a security guard at Mater Academy in North Miami who authorities say is accused of showing an explicit photo to a 15-year-old student.

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North Miami police say 61-year-old Adolfo Eusebio Cotarelo is seen in cafeteria surveillance video holding up his phone as he spoke to the victim on Oct. 10 in the charter school’s cafeteria.

Investigators said he allegedly showed her a photo of himself in bed next to a woman wearing only a bra and made sexually explicit comments.

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“Look at his face — disgusting, disgusting individual,” a parent said after seeing the video.

According to North Miami police, Cotarelo was arrested five days later at the school.

Additional body camera video shows him being led into a room at the North Miami Police Department before officers place him in handcuffs. He had the word “maintenance” printed across his shirt.

Authorities say Cotarelo asked the girl inappropriate questions, including how she would “please herself,” and told her she could use a secluded area of the school’s third floor to be alone with a boy she liked.

“He really is disgusting. I wish these things wouldn’t happen, but what can you do?” another parent stated.

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Police said Cotarelo’s statements during questioning “changed constantly,” though he admitted to several details the victim described.

Surveillance video confirmed that he approached the student in the cafeteria and appeared to show her something on his cellphone.

Investigators fear there may be additional victims.

In a statement, Mater Academy Biscayne North Miami High School said:

“Upon learning of inappropriate comments made by a staff member to a student, we immediately conducted an investigation with law enforcement. The individual has been removed from their position and will not return. Student safety remains our top priority.”

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“I’m just glad they caught him and he’s off the streets,” another parent told Local 10’s Rosh Lowe.

Jail records show Cotarelo, of Hialeah, faces a charge of child abuse without great bodily harm. He was initially booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and released on a $5,000 bond.

Police continue to investigate and urge anyone with information about additional incidents to contact the NMPD at 305- 891-0294.

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

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Heat fall to the Magic in season opener 125-121

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Heat fall to the Magic in season opener 125-121


Heat Magic Basketball Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts to his team as they play against the Orlando Magic during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Kevin Kolczynski/AP)

ORLANDO. Fla. — The Miami Heat opened the 2025–26 regular season on the road Wednesday, falling to the in-state rival Orlando Magic, 125–121, in a back-and-forth matchup.

Norman Powell led Miami with 28 points in his Heat debut, while Bam Adebayo added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

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The Heat came out strong, scoring 39 points in the first quarter and hitting 6 of 11 from 3-point range to take a 39–38 lead — the highest-scoring quarter in the 143-game history between the teams.

Miami cooled off in the second quarter, scoring just 26 points as Orlando took a 69–65 lead into halftime.

The Heat’s shooting struggles continued in the second half, hitting only 1 of 8 from beyond the arc in the third, though their defense kept the game close. Miami led 91–90 entering the fourth quarter.

The Heat built a seven-point lead midway through the final period but went more than four minutes without a field goal. Jalen Suggs put the Magic ahead for good with a midrange jumper with 58.7 seconds remaining.

The loss marked Miami’s second straight season-opening defeat against Orlando.

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The Heat look to bounce back Friday when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies.

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

Pablo Hernandez

Pablo Hernandez

Pablo Hernandez is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Cuba and has lived in Miami, Florida since 2002.



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Allen: Miami season a failure without a trophy

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Allen: Miami season a failure without a trophy


Inter Miami CF defender Noah Allen insists the team enters the MLS Cup playoffs with high expectations, emphasizing that anything less than lifting the trophy would be considered a failure.

“Yeah [it’s a failure for if Inter Miami don’t win MLS Cup]. We have high expectations for ourselves,” Allen said.

“I feel like we have the highest standard in ourselves and we want to win every trophy possible. Yeah, we want to win.”

Inter Miami concluded the MLS regular season in third place on the Eastern Conference table with 65 points, drawing Nashville SC for the best-of-three Round One playoff series.

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The Herons will host Nashville on Friday night at Chase Stadium for the first match, and secured home-field advantage for the potential third game due to table placement.

“I’m very excited about the playoffs. I have confidence in my team; we have the best of all time, and well, we’re really excited,” Rodrigo De Paul said.

“But football doesn’t always win the best or the one who deserves it most. We have to keep that percentage of luck as low as possible, and whatever work it takes, give everything we have to do our best so that the playoffs go our way.”

Inter Miami are familiar with their Round One opponent, concluding the regular-season campaign with a 5-2 triumph over Nashville on Oct. 18. Now the team will prepare for at least two more games against the same rival.

Lionel Messi, who scored three goals against Nashville in the final game to secure the 2025 MLS Golden Boot, failed to train in the first 15 minutes of the session on Oct. 21. The reason behind his absence is unknown.

Inter Miami were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2024 which has motivated them for this year’s post-season.

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“I feel like we have a good relationship between each other and I feel like we play good football with the ball. We keep a lot of possession and I just feel like we have to have that confidence that we are the best team in the league,” Allen said.

“Yeah, it’s not a sense of urgency. There’s not a panic or anything. It’s more of a motivation, right? And especially the guys that were here last year, I think everyone remembers it.

“And I think it’s been a message around the whole offense that everyone can understand is that it’s difficult, right?

“It’s not traditional, some players may agree, some players may not agree, but we have to do it. We have to win two games.”

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