MIAMI – County workers combed Miami International Airport on Wednesday to find and relocate people living there without permission. 

The stabbing of a 17-year-old homeless girl last Saturday raised awareness of a struggle affecting the airport’s image, travelers’ comfort and a vulnerable population trying to blend in.

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust sent outreach teams to help. 

“We are a community who cares about the least, the last, the lost and the forgotten and we will not sleep until we’ve got every single one of them sheltered and housed,” Ron Book, the trust’s chairman said.

Members of the trust offer services and shelter to people using the airport as a permanent shelter.  The group approached 21 people known to live in the airport. However, only four accepted room at a shelter. 

“You’re trespassing if you don’t,” Book said. “The goal is to make it clear: We need to move you to shelter. We need to get you to a better place.”

A vicious attack inside Terminal J led Book’s team to launch renewed, targeted outreach.

Alexander Love, 29, used a butcher knife to stab a teen 18 times in an unprovoked assault Saturday, Miami-Dade Police said. Both the attacker and victim called the airport home.  Prior to the stabbing, members of the Trust offered services to Love, who moved to Miami from Ohio, Book said. 

Outreach workers know about two dozen people who live in the airport, which violates a county ordinance that requires anyone staying overnight at MIA to have legitimate travel plans or business.

Airport staff, security and police connect anyone they find breaking the ordinance with help from the Homeless Trust before enforcing trespassing laws.

Members of the trust launched aggressive outreach Wednesday in response to the stabbing.

“Frankly, that is not the image we want for our airport number one,” Book said. “But number two, we want people to feel comfortable when they come to our airport, whether they’re travelers coming in or they’re our community citizens going out. Our job is to make people feel comfortable.”

Book said his team will return to the airport Thursday, Friday and beyond to convince anyone refusing to relocate to accept help.

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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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.

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