🌱 School Cheerleading Coach Arrested + South Beach Spring Break Alcohol Sale Restrictions

Good day, people of Miami! It's me again, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Miami Daily.

First, today's weather:

Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 78 Low: 71.

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Here are the top stories today in Miami:

1. A Palm Beach County cheerleading coach is facing several felony charges after she sent sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old student, according to police. 27-year-old Kassidy Sottilare was arrested early Wednesday morning after the police were notified of the messages by the victim and their parent. (Miami Patch)

2. Miami Beach officials have voted to restrict the sale of alcohol in an effort to curb heavy late-night drinking among tourists during spring break. Alcohol sales will end at 2 a.m. between March 7th and March 21st in South Beach. (Subscription: Miami Herald, Free: The Hill)

3. Pre-applications for Habitat for Humanity of Broward's homeownership program are now open and will be open through March 31st. 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom energy-efficient homes with garages, landscaped yards and modern kitchens are currently being built. (WSVN)

4. Miami-Dade Animal Services says a tan and white American bulldog named Chulo was found badly injured and unable to stand in Miami last week. Chulo was found shot, bitten, and hit by a car and is in critical condition. Investigators are searching for who shot the animal and looking for tips from the public. (WPLG Local 10)

5. Popular language-learning app Duolingo asked City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez to learn Haitian Creole after an exchange on Twitter. Suarez accepted the challenge from the brand, which is known for its witty green bird. The app will donate to $30,000 to nonprofit Haitians in Tech in exchange for the mayor learning Haitian Creole. (Miami New Times)

From our sponsor:

Today's Miami Daily is brought to you in part by Atlantis Paradise Island, The Bahamas. In honor of Bahamian culture, Atlantis Paradise Island welcomes its guests to join in the Taste of Paradise, a two-week celebration of food and beverage prepared with the freshest seasonal ingredients and an innovative eye taking place from March 2 to March 13.

Today in Miami:

• 10th Annual Real Estate Impact Conference at University Of Miami Student Center Complex. (8:00 AM)
• Teen Gaming at Miami-Dade Main Public Library. (3:00 PM)
• Junior Chefs Semester (Ages 6-13) at Taste Buds Kitchen. (5:00 PM)
• Music in the Park at Gulfstream Park Village. (6:30 PM)
• Conversations at MOCA: Spirituality And Activism at Museum of Contemporary Art. (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• A Sweetwater Police motorman was taken to the hospital on Wednesday night following a crash in West Miami-Dade. The officer's motorcycle appears to have gone over an embankment and into a ditch. (WSVN)
• The Florida House on Thursday unanimously passed a bill that would lead to new inspection requirements for condominium buildings after the deadly collapse last year of the Champlain Towers South building in South Florida's Surfside. (CBS Miami)
• Board-certified medical oncologist Reshma Mahtani, DO, has joined Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health, as the new chief of breast medical oncology. (Miami's Community News)
• The Federal Railroad Administration has called a meeting over the issue of safety with representatives from South Florida and other stakeholders as Brightline and other Florida railroads have seen a sharp increase in fatal accidents over the past four years. Brightline has had 58 deaths since it began operations in 2017. (Florida Politics)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Live Arts Miami Presents Small Island Big Song Indigenous Voices Sing Out Amidst Sea Level Rise (February 25)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar 2/25 & 3/3 (February 25)
• Coconut Grove Artisanal Market (February 25)
• Coconut Grove Artisan & Farmers Market (February 27)
• Learn How To Reduce Your Risk For Heart Disease During American Heart Month (February 28)
• Get A ‘Taste Of Paradise’ During This Exclusive Event At Atlantis (February 28)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 11)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 12)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 13)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.