Miami, FL

WATCH: Venezuela fans in Miami celebrate World Baseball Classic triumph over USA

Published

4 weeks ago

March 18, 2026

WATCH: Venezuela fans in Miami celebrate World Baseball Classic triumph over USA

Pablo Cuerta was watching batting practice before the U.S.-Venezuela championship game at the World Baseball Classic, when the realization hit him.

He couldn’t lose.

There were thousands of Venezuelans at the game in Miami on Tuesday night. There were thousands of Americans at the game as well. And some — like Cuerta, a Venezuelan-American — got to basically cheer for both sides. His shirt: a Venezuela jersey. His hat: the Venezuelan team cap. And draped over his shoulders, tied across his chest: the U.S. flag.

“I was born in Venezuela, and this country gave me the opportunity to come, to be a citizen,” said Cuerta, who drove from his home near Orlando for the final days of the tournament in Miami. “I appreciate both countries, you know. One, I was born in Venezuela. And two, this one gave me everything I’ve got. So, I’m proud to have both countries.”

Venezuela won 3-2, taking the WBC title for the first time. And when the game ended, loanDepot Park became one giant, deafening roar. Venezuela might have been the visiting country, and the visiting team on the scoreboard, but a very Latin-flavored crowd in Miami sure made the new champions feel right at home.

IN PHOTOS: From Caracas to Miami, Venezuela fans celebrate World Baseball Classic win

“This is a celebration for all of the Venezuelan country,” said designated hitter Eugenio Suárez, who drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the ninth inning.

As they have throughout the tournament, Venezuelan fans showed up in a big way to see their team in Miami; all seven of Venezuela’s games at the WBC were played inside the Miami Marlins’ ballpark. From the outset, these unusual political times — Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro is currently jailed in New York and facing drug trafficking charges, after American forces executed a military operation in Venezuela earlier this year to capture him — have not had much of an effect on the joy Venezuelans have for this event, even with it being played on U.S. soil.

When both flags were brought to home plate as part of the pregame ceremony, the building seemed to shake with noise.

“Super emotional with Venezuela and being here for the championship game. This is beyond sport. It is well deserved,” said Argenis Masiaf, a Miami resident who had the Venezuelan flag painted on his face for the game. “We have lived through many difficult things inside our country. This is the moment for Venezuela to accomplish something so special and memorable.”

Venezuela’s players and coaches tried to avoid all political talk throughout the tournament. They’ve said in many ways that they’re at the WBC to play baseball, and manager Omar López reiterated that sentiment before the final.

López did, however, acknowledge how much the WBC has meant to the baseball-mad South American country.

“Together we are going to have better generations for our country, united with no color, political colors or ideology,” López said. “We have people with double citizenship. … Baseball is one of the best tools or ways to educate a country. Discipline, dedication, determination.

“If you don’t believe in that, you should start believing. You have to believe in that. Thirty human beings today are going to unite Venezuela through a baseball game.”

He was right.

In Caracas — Venezuela’s capital and highest-populated city — the streets were empty Tuesday night. Everyone was watching baseball. Thousands of people, many of them children, gathered at a public plaza to watch the game, many dancing and waving Venezuelan flags.

“Long live Venezuela! Truly, I am very happy,” acting President Delcy Rodriguez said after the game. “I want, on behalf of our people and the government of Venezuela, to thank and embrace each one of our players.”

The party kept going after the final out. Bands played, flags waved and some fans cried — both in Caracas and Miami.

“The USA is (the) best country in the world,” Enrique Cabrera, a retired teacher, screamed over the din of a celebration that basically became a human parking lot along the right-field concourse at loanDepot Park after the game. “But Venezuela is the best at baseball.”

In Venezuela, a deeply divided nation, baseball is one of the few activities that bring together young and old no matter their political beliefs.

Take 75-year-old Miguel Blanco for example. He traveled roughly 43 miles (70 kilometers) to watch the game with other fans at the plaza in Caracas because his home was without power for 12 hours Monday and he did not want to risk missing the game if another outage — a frequent occurrence — took place.

And 26-year-old Ashley Peña, a youth organizer in Caracas, said the game gave Venezuelans a much-needed distraction.

“This is a moment for every Venezuelan to regain faith,” she said. “Wherever we are in any country, we are all supporting the national team.”

Josh Rojas, a student from Utah, was outside the stadium three hours before first pitch Tuesday, soaking up the atmosphere. He had a “V” for Venezuela painted on both sides of his face, proudly carrying a flag as well.

“Me and my family knew Venezuela would make a good run, so we came,” Rojas said. “Man, it’s meant everything. I’m a Latino American, and it’s just making me more proud of my Latin heritage. It’s just awesome to see a whole country, a whole community come together to support this country through baseball.”

Jaci Douglas said she “hates” baseball. The medical student from Pennsylvania viewed Tuesday’s game as something well beyond sport.

“My mother is Venezuelan. I have in-laws who are Venezuelans,” Douglas said. “They’re all here tonight and they told me that if I miss this, I’d regret it. … It’s an event.”

Cuerta left Venezuela eight years ago, but knew even before Tuesday’s game what this WBC run meant to his homeland.

“When we’re born, that’s the first thing your parents do. Before they send you to school, they send you to the field,” Cuerta said. “That’s what they mean when they say it’s in our blood.”

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Associated Press Reporter Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela contributed.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Miami, FL

Miami County leaders take action to get disaster aid after Hillsdale devastated by tornado damage

Published

11 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Miami County leaders take action to get disaster aid after Hillsdale devastated by tornado damage

KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Ryan has extensively covered stories in Miami County over the past two years. The Sheriff’s Department took him on a tour of the damage in Hillsdale on Tuesday. If you want to share your story and what the path forward looks like, reach out. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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Miami County leaders are preparing to sign a state of emergency on Wednesday as Hillsdale residents clean up from Monday night’s tornado before the next batch of storms arrive.

Miami County leaders take action to get disaster aid after Hillsdale tornado

The Miami County government will officially sign the declaration to secure outside resources and aid for a rebuild.

The county of 44,000 people does not budget for disasters of this scale.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

George Pretz

Presiding Commissioner George Pretz told KSHB 41 News Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa that he (Pretz) entered into a verbal agreement on Monday night, but the county will officially declare a disaster declaration at its Wednesday meeting.

“It’s get with it, and get through it, and take care of the people as quick as you can,” Pretz said.

The move follows action taken by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, who issued her own declaration of disaster on Monday night for areas impacted by major storms.

Ron Warhurst and KSHB 41 Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa chop up a fallen tree to save a sappling.

“Due to the severe weather that impacted the state overnight, I’ve declared a disaster emergency to ensure state assistance was readily available if needed,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. “I encourage all Kansans to have an emergency kit and a family plan in preparation for a tornado. Stay updated on local weather conditions by listening to a NOAA weather radio or local TV and radio stations. Once a warning is activated, it is important to take cover.”

The Kansas Division of Management has activated the State Emergency Operations Center and is monitoring the situation, according to a news release.

Miami County Undersheriff Matt Kelly said the declaration is necessary to facilitate a remedy to the disaster.

“More resources, funding, things like that to get the community back to where it was prior to the storm,” Kelly said. “There was verbal declarations done early last night when the storms came through, and because of that, we were able to get the resources that we did. We were seeing state resources coming in as far away as Pottawatomie County and south as far as Wichita to help us.”

Those declarations go farther at the county level according to Pretz.

It opens of the county to more resources and the county can even apply for additional federal aid.

78-year-old Ron Warhurst spent Tuesday afternoon operating a chainsaw to help his friend, Carol, clean up her property. The tornado passed about 100 yards from Carol’s home, damaging trees and her car. Warhurst also worked to save a sapling trapped under a fallen tree.

“Over there is where the tornado came through,” Warhurst said to Gamboa.

Neighbors in unincorporated Hillsdale are leaving brush piles along the road for collection on Wednesday.

“The county is supposed to come by tomorrow,” Warhurst said.

Hillsdale Tornado Damage — Damage to Warhurst’s friends car

Miami County Undersheriff Kelly told Gamboa that Tuesday’s efforts were to ensure the roads, structures, and community were safe to move around in.

A larger effort to clear debris and get rid of trash will begin on Wednesday, weather permitting.

“Tomorrow, we will start the cleanup phase,” Kelly said. “Without taking care of that, we can’t do the clean-up phase. That’s where we are at because we’re looking at more weather today… We couldn’t have been able to do that without these declarations, and that’s why they’re so important and crucial to make these successful recoveries.”

For now, the ultimate goal for the community is to get back to regular life.

Pretz estimates a large bulk of the clean-up, if the storms hold off, should be much better by Friday. He said the goal is to get all power restored by late Wednesday.

“This is truly local government here, all hands on deck, making a difference,” Pretz added. “Miami County government has got to do everything we can to get them [Hillsdale] up and going.”

Undersheriff Kelly released the latest details on the impacted structures in the Hillsdale area on Tuesday afternoon.

Nearly 300 structures were searched
113 structures affected
41 structures significantly damaged or destroyed
All residents have been accounted for
Only one minor injury has been reported

Volunteers are needed to assist in the clean-up effort on Wednesday morning. Those who want to help are asked to sign up at Hillsdale Presbyterian Church, 22875 W 255th Street.

The cleanup is expected to begin at 8:30 a.m.

“We’re already seeing people step up in this community,” Kelly said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Miami, FL

Forward Brant Byers leaving Miami RedHawks for Penn State | Report

Published

23 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Forward Brant Byers leaving Miami RedHawks for Penn State | Report

Forward Brant Byers, who ranked second behind Peter Suder in scoring for the Miami RedHawks last season with 14.2 points per game, has committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions, according to a report via Twitter/X from DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony.

Byers’ hometown of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, is about two hours south of State College.

Byers reportedly entered the transfer portal in March.

Byers also averaged 4.1 rebounds per game, and shot 47.8 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range as a redshirt sophomore for the RedHawks. He was named an all-Mid-American Conference second-team selection.

Byers started 33 of the 34 games in which he played for the 32-2 RedHawks in 2025-26. He averaged 8.4 points per game off the bench one season earlier, as a freshman. Byers redshirted during the 2023-24 season.

Former Cincinnati Bearcats forward Josh Reed and former Xavier Musketeers forward Sasa Ciani are on the Nittany Lions’ roster.

The RedHawks received a commitment April 14 from Ball State transfer forward Preston Copeland.

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Miami, FL

Equestrian Event With Insane Prize Pool Draws Out Big Names in Miami

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Equestrian Event With Insane Prize Pool Draws Out Big Names in Miami

The Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT), the world’s premier Arabian horse championship series, hit Miami, Florida, where the celebrities were out in force.

The GCAT is an exclusive, high-stakes international championship show designed to showcase the beauty, form, and movement of Purebred Arabian horses.

A horse is showcased at the Global Champions Arabians Tour Miami. | Arabian Insider

Over this past weekend, the event transformed Miami Beach into a world-class equestrian stage, welcoming over 100 horses and handlers from across the globe to compete for crucial GCAT points and a share of the Americas circuit’s $2.7 million prize fund.

It also was quite the party featuring surprise sets by 50 Cent and Sean Paul, and a Closing Ceremony performance by Jason Derulo.

50 Cent performed at the opening night of Global Champions Arabians Tour Miami Beach on Friday, April 10, 2026. | John Parra/Getty Images for Global Champions Arabians Tour

Other big names in the sports world showed up, including influencer and former Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa Pippen, former Miami Hurricanes star and New Orleans Saints Super Bowl champion Jonathan Vilma, and professional golfer Paris Hilinski.

Larsa certainly stood out in this red dress:

Larsa Pippen at the Global Champions Arabian Tour Miami. | John Parra/Getty for Global Champions Arabians Tour

Meanwhile, Vilma was back in Miami where he played for some of the best ‘Canes teams from 2000-2003.

Jonathan Vilma at the Global Champions Arabians Tour Miami. | John Parra/Getty for Global Champions Arabians Tour

Also, the likes of DJ Khaled, Bethenny Frankel, Kiki Barth, Mario Carbone, the Mayor of Miami Steven Meiner, Daymond John, Romero Britto, Stephanie and Masoud Shojaee, Terrence J, Oliver Trevena, Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine.

It was quite the weekend.

“Miami Beach has once again proven to be an extraordinary stage for the Global Champions Arabians Tour,” said Faleh Al Nasr, Chairman of the Global Champions Arabians Tour. “The energy, the international audience, and the level of competition we witnessed this weekend reflect exactly what GCAT stands for. To see this sport brought to life in such an iconic destination, alongside world-class hospitality and entertainment, is incredibly meaningful as we continue to grow our presence across the Americas.”

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