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Outdoor events canceled on Thursday due to tropical storm

Ashley Sewall
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Outdoor events canceled on Thursday due to tropical storm

The University of Miami announced that while classes will continue as normal, all outdoor events will be canceled on Thursday, Sept. 26 in anticipation of the effects of Hurricane Helene as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico and through the state of Florida.

Due to the size of Helene, all of South Florida is under a Tropical Storm Warning and will continue to be through Friday morning. Miami will feel the effects of Helene starting this evening in strong wind gusts.

“At this time all campuses, classes, indoor events and clinical activities continue to operate on a regular schedule,” the University said in an email sent on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. “Outdoor events on Thursday have been rescheduled.”

Patio Jams, a UM organization that plans student band performances on Lakeside Patio, has canceled their scheduled events on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26, according to Hurricane Productions.

This is a developing story. Updates will be added as more information is released.

October movies worth going to the theater for

Emil Salgado Vazquez
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October movies worth going to the theater for

With spooky season on the horizon, let’s take a look at what movies will be released this October. Whether you’re looking for classic horror movies, slashers, dramas or comic book adaptations, there’s something for you.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” (Oct. 4)

The long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning “Joker” will be released on Oct. 4. It follows the criminal trials of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and his time at Arkham Asylum, a hospital for the clinically insane.

Perhaps the biggest change in the sequel will be the addition of Oscar-winning pop star Lady Gaga, who will be playing Harley Quinn, the classic right-hand woman to the Joker. Along with Lady Gaga, the film will also be a musical. “Folie à Deux” will be competing to match the success of its predecessor, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. 

The movie will likely continue exploring the themes of social justice, mental health and love from the first movie.

“Terrifier 3” (Oct. 11)

Bringing the Christmas spirit on Oct. 11, “Terrifier 3” will center around Art the Clown’s continued terrorizing of the residents of Miles County, this time on Christmas Eve. 

The film will see David Howard Thornton return as Art for a third time. Lauren LaVera and Elliott Fullam will also be returning as siblings Sienna and Jonathan Shaw, who will be pitted against Art once again. 

Victoria Heyes, the heroine turned villainess of the original “Terrifier” played by Samantha Scaffidi, is also rumored to have a much more important role in this movie. With the surprise success of the previous film, “Terrifier 2,” “Terrifier 3” will be hard-pressed to follow up on that success.

“Saturday Night” (Oct. 11)

The biographical comedy-drama film “Saturday Night” will showcase the 1975 premiere of what will become “Saturday Night Live.” The film was directed by “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” director Jason Reitman, who also wrote and co-produced the film along with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” director Gil Kenan. 

The film’s ensemble cast includes stars such as Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien and Cory Michael Smith who will be taking on the roles of Lorne Michaels, Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase respectively. 

“Saturday Night” had its world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on Aug. 31, and the film will have its theatrical release on Oct. 11.

“It’s a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed,” Entertainment Weekly said in a review.

“The Apprentice” (Oct. 11)

“The Apprentice” will follow Donald Trump’s rise to power in the 1970s and 80s. Sebastian Stan takes on the role of Trump, with the film also starring Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova as Roy Cohn and Ivana Trump. 

The biographical drama will center on Trump’s relationship with Cohn, a New York City prosecutor who worked with Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Second Red Scare. 

The film is directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, known for directing “Border,” “Holy Spider” and two episodes of “The Last of Us.” The film is written by American journalist Gabriel Sherman. 

Its release on Oct. 11 comes at a critical moment in the United States presidential race. The Trump campaign has tried to take legal action against the movie, including a cease-and-desist letter.

“Smile 2” (Oct. 18)

The sequel to Parker Finn’s psychological supernatural horror film “Smile,” “Smile 2” will see Naomi Scott play pop singer Skye Riley who begins to experience horrifying events while on tour. 

Kyle Gallner will be reprising his role as Joel from the first film. “Smile 2” will be released with high expectations, with the commercial success of “Smile” grossing over $200 million worldwide.  

“Venom: The Last Dance” (Oct 25)

Tom Hardy will return as Eddie Brock and Venom in the fifth film of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, directed by Kelly Marcel. The film will also feature a star-studded cast alongside Tom Hardy, with British Academy Film Award winners Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple

Both Ejiofor and Temple will likely be at home in a film like this, having starred in several superhero movies including “Doctor Strange” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” respectively. 

Additionally, Clark Backo has also been cast in an unknown role. Netflix and Disney + subscribers will also be able to enjoy the movie after its theatrical release. 

“Venom: The Last Dance” will be competing with its predecessors’ success at the box office — over $800 million for “Venom” and over $500 million for “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” — with a similar budget of over $110 million.

All movies can be watched at most movie theaters near you on its release date. Make sure you don’t miss out on any of these amazing movies coming out this October. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “Saturday Night” and “The Apprentice” will all likely be strong competitions for academy awards.

Trader Joe’s Fall 2024 Ranked Items

Audrey Sears
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Trader Joe’s Fall 2024 Ranked Items

The best time of the year is here, which means Trader Joe’s has come out with their seasonal fall favorites. On Sept. 1, the stores swapped out their lemonade for apple cider. 

Clear your cabinets and get your shopping bags ready to make room for everything apple, maple and pumpkin spice. 

Below is a ranked list of four Trader Joe’s specialty fall items.

#1 Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels $3.49

These bite sized pretzels are the perfect representation of what pumpkin spice should taste like. The comforting pumpkin spice flavor is captured with orange pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin seeds and cinnamon. 

The yogurt is perfectly creamy and not too overpowering, while the crunch of the pumpkin seeds on top adds not only texture but a cinnamon kick as well. This snack is the perfect balance between sweet and salty. They are also the best size to grab a handful on the go! 

5/5

#2 Apple Shortbread Butter Cookies $3.49

These apple shortbread cookies are a close second on the list. The texture of these thin cookies is amazing, very soft and buttery as they melt in your mouth. 

The presentation is also not to be ignored. There is a print of an apple on each one making them all the more fall themed. These cookies will remind you of the crust of an apple crisp pie on a cool fall day. 

After the buttery and sweet flavor of the cookie, you can taste a hint of apple tartness. These cookies are delicious, but are definitely for those who like their cookies a bit on the plain side. If you are looking for a cookie to cleanse your pallet, I highly recommend these ones! 

4.5/5

#3 HoneyCrisp Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt $0.99

If you enjoy a gourmet apple crisp pie filling, you will love this fall item. This apple cinnamon yogurt will take you back to the smell and taste of apple picking on a chilly fall day. 

The cinnamon coating and apple pieces give the yogurt a sweet, yet tart taste. It is also a very healthy choice if you want a nutritional breakfast high in protein. 

The yogurt is made with 100% whole milk, giving the yogurt an extra creamy texture. 

4/5

#4 Pumpkin Greek Nonfat Yogurt $0.99

If you are looking for a healthy breakfast that also satisfies your sweet tooth, this pumpkin yogurt is for you. This yogurt is so thick and creamy, you wouldn’t even notice that it is nonfat. 

The pumpkin orange color is spot on and it has a distinct spice taste to it. The pumpkin flavor does not come through as much as its cinnamon spice, but it is still a yummy alternative to plain greek yogurt. 

3/5

“No CMA for For Queen B”

Anna Hanonick
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“No CMA for For Queen B”

Having the biggest Country album of the year is not enough to win a CMA award in today’s music scene anymore.

Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” not only topped the country chart, but was also a historic first for a Black woman singing country. Her album spent 22 weeks on the Billboard top 200 album ranking. Yet a CMA award wasn’t even in sight for Beyoncé, as she had zero nominations in every category.

This isn’t the first time the CMAs and its audience have clashed with Beyoncé, so let’s talk about what may have been lost in translation.

Debut Country Album

In March 2024, Beyoncé released her very first ever country album, “Cowboy Carter.” Cowboy Carter is the eighth studio album by Beyoncé and is the second of a planned trilogy of albums, following Renaissance (2022).

Beyoncé explained that the inspiration for this album came from a personal experience of feeling unwelcome and being criticized for her Southern roots. In her words, “Born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…They used to say I spoke too country / Then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough.”

Her comments were interpreted as a reference to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards, which faced racist backlash on social media. 

Reactions and Responses

While many fans and critics appreciated Beyoncé for blending genres and bringing country music into a mainstream pop context, some critics and audiences were less receptive. 

Concerns were raised about the authenticity of her country’s influence and whether it was a genuine tribute or a strategic move. There was also some backlash related to her 2016 CMA Awards performance, which faced racist comments and highlighted tensions around her crossing genre boundaries.

Regardless, Her hit “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at number four on the Billboard Global 200, with 31.9 million streams and 48,000 downloads sold worldwide, becoming her second top-ten hit since the survey began in 2020, after “Break My Soul” reached number six in 2022

Why she received no nominee

Critics have argued that Beyoncé’s foray into country music does not constitute a true country album, suggesting that she merely adopted superficial elements like cowboy hats and traditional instruments without fully immersing herself in the genre. 

Beyoncé herself has stated that she created a “Beyoncé album,” not a country album, reflecting her intention to blend her distinct style with country influences rather than fully transition into the genre.

Many country artists rely on Nashville’s music scene to build their careers. Performing in honky-tonks, participating in writers’ rounds and gaining exposure, is the only chance they have at this industry. 

Beyoncédid not need to follow this path. She did not depend on Nashville or the Country Music Association (CMA) for recognition. 

Despite producing a successful album with country elements and supporting rising Black artists in the genre, she did not cater to the mainstream country music industry.

Beyoncé did not receive a CMA Award, largely because the CMA Awards focus on recognizing achievements within the country music genre, and Beyoncé is primarily known for her work in pop and R&B. The awards generally highlight artists associated with country music. 

The country music’s radio airplay, which heavily influences CMA Award nominations, has also historically been dominated by white men, with limited airplay for Black female artists. 

This industry bias has impacted the visibility of artists like Beyoncé, which could have impacted her chances of receiving an award. 

Final Thoughts

While Beyoncé’s album brought country influences to a broader audience and celebrated her Southern roots, the industry’s biases and focus on genre-specific criteria may have overshadowed her achievements.

As the conversation continues about what defines a country album and who gets to be recognized, Beyoncé’s story highlights ongoing challenges in the music industry. Her success reflects her ability to transcend genres and push boundaries, but it also emphasizes the need for a more inclusive and evolving understanding of what marks success in the country music industry.

‘Emily in Paris’ returns for its anticipated fourth season

Jenna Simone
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Netflix’s hit series “Emily in Paris” began its highly anticipated return with its fourth season on Aug. 15. Netflix released Part 1, which consisted of the first five episodes. On Sept. 12, the five remaining episodes in Part 2 dropped. 

The dramatic ending of Season 3 left viewers shocked by Camille’s unexpected pregnancy. Fans have eagerly been waiting for more drama to unfold within Emily, Gabriel and Camille’s complex love triangle. 

Season 4 definitely delivered on the promise of more drama, romance, excitement and new characters—let’s talk about the main highlights of the season.

Camille’s Pregnancy Drama

The season opens with Camille confirming her pregnancy with Gabriel’s child, intensifying tension. Regardless of her pregnancy, Gabriel and Camille break up due to Gabriel’s lingering feelings for Emily. 

With this, Gabriel begins expressing this love for Emily even though Emily starts Season 4 in a relationship with her boyfriend, Alfie. 

Alfie and Emily’s Relationship Tensions 

After Camille revealed that Gabriel was in love with Emily at the end of Season 3, Alfie became increasingly frustrated. He disliked Emily’s growing closeness with Gabriel and his jealousy grew. This conflict led to heated arguments and ultimately the demise of Emily and Alfie’s relationship. 

Following their breakup, Emily finally finds herself in a relationship with Gabriel. Camille then takes on the role of the jealous ex-girlfriend. 

After finding out her pregnancy was a false-positive, she continues to lie about having the baby to keep Gabriel’s attention on her. This lie led fans to hate on Camille’s character, especially after she already cheated on Gabriel in Season 3.

Gabriel and Emily’s Downfall

When they first reconnected and began dating, everything seemed magical. Fans were so excited that Gabriel and Emily finally acted on their built-up tension that began way back in Season 1. 

The couple was in high spirits and finally expressed their love for each other. However, their relationship was short-lived as Camille continuously got in the way of their happiness.

Camille’s involvement in Emily and Gabriel’s relationship made both fans and Emily crazy. Emily’s breaking point occurred when Gabriel left her at the top of a mountain to ski alone so he could meet Camille at the bottom instead. He did this to keep Camille safe as he was still under the impression that Camille was pregnant. 

This was a great example of dramatic irony and created more suspense within the show.

Genevieve is Introduced

Enter a new character named Genevieve. She is the newly discovered 20-something daughter of Sylvie’s husband. She starts working for Agence Grateau as Sylvie’s assistant and immediately gets taken under Emily’s wing. However, all this happens as Emily pushes through her breakup with Gabriel. 

Genevieve becomes the Season 4 villain as she pines after Gabriel. She moves into his apartment building and backstabs Emily by kissing him at her housewarming party. However, Gabriel does not fully reciprocate these feelings, leaving Genevieve embarrassed.

Fans have been posting about disliking Genevieve’s messy character and questionable acting. While her introduction stirred the pot, it seemed unorganized and useless at points. Nothing wild truly happened between her and Gabriel, and Emily was quite unaware of Genevieve’s intense attraction toward him.

Marcello is Introduced

Along with Genevieve, we get another new character this season–-Marcello. He is a handsome Italian man who meets Emily atop the ski mountain after Gabriel ditches her. He guides her down the mountain and mysteriously leaves without giving Emily any contact information. 

Thankfully, he returns in the season and is found to be friends with Emily’s best friend’s boyfriend, which brings him and Emily closer together.

Marcello falls hard for Emily and invites her to Rome to visit him. Emily does so and finds herself with many opportunities in Rome involving both love and work. Fans are excited to see that Emily is potentially moving on from Gabriel after three previous seasons of liking him.

Emily’s boss Sylvie demands that she move to Rome full-time to work at their new marketing firm’s Rome location. With this, Emily can help Marcello with his family business and further her relationship with him. 

Season 4 Cliffhanger

With Emily’s move to Rome, fans are left with one question—Who is Emily if not in Paris? We will have to find out and watch her story unfold in Rome in Season 5!

 

Hurricanes golf secure second top-5 finish of the season

Mary Grace Cardelle
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Hurricanes golf secure second top-5 finish of the season

The Miami Hurricanes’ golf team finished in fifth place out of 15 teams at the Mary Fossum Invitational. This marks its second top-five finish this season, as it traveled to East Lansing, Mich. to compete this past weekend.

The ’Canes participated in the two-day, 54-hole event with a team score of 884 (+20) on the par-72, 6,370 yard course. After finishing their first tournament strong, the goal was to carry that

momentum into the second, and they succeeded.

As for individuals, sophomore Barbora Bujáková earned her first top-five finish of the season, shooting par or better in all three rounds; she placed tied for fifth, leading the team with her score of 215 (-1).

Junior Olivia Grønborg was a top-10 finisher for the second-straight tournament, tying for ninth with a score of 218 (+2).

Freshman Cloe Amion Villarino tied for 40th with a three-round score of 227 (+11), and two other Hurricanes finished in the top 75: sophomore Rebekah Gardner ended tied for 61st, scoring 231 (+15) and freshman Sofie Hlinomazová’s score of 233 (+17) secured her place as 67th.

Ole Miss took the team title with their score of 847 (-17), with Minnesota (872,+2) finishing third to conclude the top three at the Invitational.

Individually and as a team, the Hurricanes were a success, having started their season off on the right foot. Next up, Miami will travel to Virginia Beach, Va. in early October to compete in the Evie Odom Invitational.

University of Miami climbs to No. 63 in latest U.S. News college rankings

Mel Tenkoff
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University of Miami climbs to No. 63 in latest U.S. News college rankings

The University of Miami climbed four spots to No. 63 in the 2024-25 edition of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best National University rankings, released Tuesday, Sept. 24.

UM shares its ranking with six other universities, including Brandeis University, George Washington University, Michigan State University, Pennsylvania State University – University Park, Santa Clara University and Tulane University. 

In addition to maintaining its position among the nation’s best universities, UM has made strides in multiple key ranking categories. 

The university is currently ranked No. 34 among national private universities, a positive trend from its position at No. 36 and 37 in previous years. Additionally, UM ranked No. 12 in Business Programs in the category of real estate, No. 39 in Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs and No. 88 in Best Economics Schools.  

“Our priority at the University of Miami is excellence. As we deliver on our mission and transform lives, we intentionally focus on factors that make a difference for our students,” the University of Miami said in a statement. 

“These include attracting and retaining the best and brightest—students as reflected by performance and assessments, and faculty as measured by how often they are published and cited in top journals.” 

In its 40th annual rankings, the U.S. News & World Report rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 national colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality

Top factors included peer assessment (20%), graduation rates (16%), graduation rate performance (10%), financial resources per student (8%) and faculty salaries (6%).

However, this year’s ranking methodology shifted significantly by removing the metric for first-generation student six-year graduation rates from the formulas for national universities and historically Black colleges and universities. 

Instead, the U.S. News now focuses on the graduation rates of Pell Grant-recipients, which are considered a more standardized measure for comparison across all institutions. 

These changes include an increased weight for Pell Grant-recipient graduation performance and Pell Grant recipient graduation rates among national universities, whose indicators both rose from 3% to 5.5%. 

This falls under the category of social mobility, which aims to provide a more equitable assessment of how colleges support economically disadvantaged students and their post-graduation success.

The increase in ranking is a pleasant surprise for students that have seen UM steadily fall since peaking at No. 49 in 2021.

“I really appreciate all the opportunities that UM has to offer and resources that I didn’t know were available to me before,” said Gabriellah Valdes, a sophomore majoring in advertising management. “The school’s ranking, I’m not surprised, has gone up as it’s a very inclusive school and has a very welcoming faculty, which was one of the main reasons I chose this school. Its sense of community and growth is amazing.”

The University of Miami continued their statement expressing a similar sentiment. 

“Long term, our focus is on providing an outstanding experience for our students, patients, fans, and supporters and conducting research that leads to the solutions our community needs. In short, we are pursuing excellence, not rankings.”

Meet the 2024-25 Miami women’s basketball captains

Zach Cohen
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Meet the 2024-25 Miami women’s basketball captains

The Hurricanes women’s basketball team has already been hard at work training at The Susan and Steven Simon’s Training Facility ahead of the 2024-25 season. With just about a month and a half until tip-off, first year ’Canes head coach Tricia Cullop has named five of her players as captains.

Jasmyne Roberts

A 6-foot-2 senior guard from Jacksonville, Florida, Roberts has bled orange and green since she walked onto campus her freshman year in 2021. She has improved every year she’s stepped on the court. From only getting 225 minutes of total action in her freshman season to being a starter averaging 11.1 points per game, Roberts looks to excel in her senior season.

Natalija Marshall

The 6-foot-5 graduate student transfer from Notre Dame will bring a winning mindset to Miami. Natalija Marshall’s senior season was her best, notching career highs in multiple categories. Marshall averaged five points, 3.7 rebounds and 20.2 minutes a game, including finishing the season with eight multi-block games and helping the Fighting Irish win the 2024 ACC Tournament championship. Marshall is expected to be a significant presence in the paint.

Cameron Williams

Another graduate student transfer, this time from Michigan, forward Cameron Williams looks to bring her great play down to sunny South Florida. Appearing in all 34 games last season, starting half of them, Williams posted scoring numbers in double digits 12 times. She also had two double-doubles last season, one of which was a 16-point, 10-rebound showing against Wisconsin. Williams is proven to be a big that can play defense but score as well. 

The Cavinder Twins are back and will both be captains for the 2024-2025 season. The graduate student guards from Gilbert, Arizona will take the floor one last season in their collegiate careers after both of them did not play college basketball last year. The Cavinders played a key role in Miami’s 2023 Elite Eight run. 

Haley Cavinder 

Haley started every game in the 2022-23 campaign. She led the Hurricanes in scoring with 12.2 points per game, three-point percentage, free-throw percentage and minutes per game. 

In her first season at Miami, Haley eclipsed the 2,000 career point mark with 16 points against Louisville. She also posted a career-high 33 points against Florida State. 

Hanna Cavinder

Hanna provided a great spark off the bench during the 2022-23 season. She recorded the fewest turnovers on the team and led the Hurricanes in assist/turnover ratio at 2.3:1 in 34 games played. Hanna was also a member of the 2023 ACC All-Academic Team.

The ’Canes have some experienced leaders on their team, and Cullop will need to lean on them as she navigates her first season in Coral Gables. Their revamped roster looks to make it back to the NCAA Tournament.

Tree branch falls on campus, one student injured

Ashley Sewall
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Tree branch falls on campus, one student injured

One student was injured after a large canopy oak tree next to The Rock plaza split, resulting in a large branch falling and blocking the entire area on  Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 11 p.m.

Emergency responders arrived on the scene promptly. According to the University of Miami, the division of Student Affairs followed up with the student and will continue to do so.

On Thursday morning, the entire Rock area was closed off and the oak tree was being taken down.

“After consulting with a certified arborist, the decision was made to remove the tree since it was beyond recovery,” the University of Miami told The Hurricane.

The tree will be replaced in about a month, according to the University, with a mature tree from an on-campus tree farm currently being prepared.

Since Wednesday, the tree has been removed and the space next to The Rock plaza reopened.

Campbell: Cam Ward has played as advertised

Ali Campbell
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Campbell: Cam Ward has played as advertised

After playing at an extremely high level at both Incarnate Word and Washington State, it was no secret that Cam Ward was one of the most sought-after prospects in the 2023 transfer portal. 

When it was announced that Ward had chosen to continue his collegiate career with the Miami Hurricanes, questions were raised about what Ward could potentially bring to a team with promising talent returning at skill positions, as well as his ability to transfer his game from the Pac-12 to the ACC. 

Miami and Washington State may both compete against other high-level programs, but they differ in level of expectations when suiting up on Saturdays. After a brief stint where he decided to enter the 2024 NFL Draft, Ward transferred and chose Coral Gables as his destination for football this fall. Ultimately deciding on the Hurricanes was a careful decision that was made to help improve his draft stock and further take advantage of the name, image and likeness deals that are available to college football players. 

Also, it didn’t hurt that Miami’s receiver room and defense are considered to be among the best in the country. 

“The biggest thing [was] not [to] go somewhere where it was a whole rebuild,” Ward said to reporters. “I only have one year left, and I’m trying to make the most of it.”

Ward wanted to be in a place where he’d be in a position to win as many football games as possible.      

Upon arrival in Coral Gables, Ward proved to be a vocal leader for the offense during fall camp. 

“There’s a time, but you’ve got to emphasize it on your time as to whether you have to get on the guy now or wait until after practice,” Ward said to reporters after the first day of fall practice. “Effort’s a big thing in our offense and football in general. If you don’t have effort, you won’t win a lot of games.”  

Ward took it upon himself to ensure that everyone was doing their job and giving maximum effort during practice.   

“He chose Miami when he could have gone anywhere else because of his belief in the people, the system, and the part around him. It’s been awesome to watch him work,” Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal said to reporters on the arrival of Ward. “He’s focused on what he has to focus on. It’s a blessing to have Cam Ward.” 

The redshirt senior from West Columbia, Texas first took the field against Florida on Aug. 31st  in Gainesville. The Gators are an opponent that some thought would be overwhelming for Ward, especially dealing with the environment of The Swamp. 

Ward quickly proved otherwise. 

With his lone major mistake being an early interception, Ward posted 26 completions on 35 attempts for 385 yards and three touchdowns in only three quarters. This performance helped the Hurricanes take down the Gators 41-17, in their building. The following week, UM took on Florida A&M at home, where Ward continued to show out, recording 20 completions for an efficient 304 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters. 

Again, in a home matchup against the Ball State Cardinals, Ward showed no signs of slowing down, amassing 346 yards and five touchdowns in the 62-0 blowout victory. Back on the road against an aggressive South Florida Bulls team, Ward proceeded to throw for a season-high 404 yards and three touchdowns in the 50-15 win.   

Logging at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in every game this season, it appears that Ward has exceeded expectations as a Miami Hurricane. 

He now ranks second in the NCAA in passing yards (1,439), and first in passing touchdowns (14). Ward looks to continue his success throughout the rest of the season and ultimately secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Paramount Miami Skyscraper to light up for Hurricanes’ football season

Jaslyn Truong
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Paramount Miami Skyscraper to light up for Hurricanes’ football season

For the duration of the Hurricanes’ football season, the Paramount Miami skyscraper alongside the south Florida skyline is to shine green and orange to showcase support for the ‘Canes. Miami fans can enjoy a great display that celebrates the early success of Miami football. 

The 60 story and 700-foot-tall Paramount Miami Worldcenter Skyscraper is to light up with the world’s tallest digital football statue, an enormous University of Miami logo and a 300-foot-wide Sebastian the Ibis. This then morphs into a pair of orange and green hands forming the iconic “U” logo, resembling a football goal post, for all to see. Additionally, the cheers of  “Go Canes” can and will be seen running along Paramount’s center column. 

The reasoning behind honoring and cheering the University of Miami throughout their football season stems from the personal love and connection to the school from the Paramount Skyscraper’s building developer, Daniel Kodsi, CEO of the Royal Palm Companies. Daniel Kodsi is a 1991 University of Miami graduate and alumnus from the Miami Herbert Business School. 

“This week and throughout the football season, we are saluting the Hurricanes with a glowing orange and green signal of support,” Kodsi said. 

Kodsi’s daughter is also a University of Miami freshman this year, and is his inspiration for lighting up the skyscraper to support the ‘Canes. He also explains that the Paramount Tower is one of the signature buildings of Miami, a perfect place to display love and support to the University. 

“All great cities have buildings that light-up. New York’s Empire State Building, Seattle’s Space Needle and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Paramount Miami Worldcenter has been added to the list of monumental buildings around the world. It has become downtown Miami’s soaring signature skyscraper,” Kodsi said. “Whether you are coming from air, land or sea; when you see Paramount, you know you have arrived.”

This extravagant display of support is not simple. If the Paramount Tower were to be measured horizontally, it would measure to be two and a half football fields long. Alongside the tower’s $3 million lighting system that can create a combination of 16-million colors that will be showcasing the signature colors of Miami, the skyscraper itself is America’s second-largest real estate project, and one of the nation’s largest urban core construction sites. 

“When we designed the $600-million Paramount Miami Worldcenter, we created a highly-advanced $3-million lighting system so our skyscraper would serve as a beacon for the City of Miami,” Kodsi said. 

The love not only for the University of Miami Hurricanes, but other Miami sport teams and communities can be felt through the bright and colorful display of the Paramount Tower. 

“We light-up Paramount for special events and to send a signal of support to our local sports teams,” Kodsi said. “We ignite the building with the stars and stripes for national holidays; with a jumbo-sized Santa’s flying sleigh for Christmas; with the world’s largest menorah for Hanukkah; to transmit public services messages and to generate awareness of charitable efforts. This is our way of giving to the community.”

The Hurricanes continue to feel the excitement and joy from fans all over with their excellent start early on in their football season, and will continue to be passionately supported by the colorful displays of orange and green from the “beacon of the City of Miami,” the Paramount Worldcenter Skyscraper.

Freebee takes over late-night campus transportation

Martina Pantaleon
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Freebee takes over late-night campus transportation

Freebee replaced Safe Ride’s six-year partnership with the University of Miami in August, becoming the new late-night, on-campus transportation option.

Safe Ride provides secure, easy-to-access transport nationwide. Freebee, founded by University of Miami graduates, offers a similar service.

“The Office of Parking and Transportation decided to partner with Freebee to improve micro-transit services for the University community and move away from the previous service, which was becoming outdated,” the Office of Parking and Transportation said in a statement to TMH.

In a month, Freebee has already made numerous trips in and outside campus. 

“To date, Freebee has provided transportation for 396 passengers,” the Office of Parking and Transportation said.

This is already more than half of the 559 passengers Safe Ride had during 2023.

Although both companies provide nighttime transportation, some of the services offered differ. 

Safe Ride used to run from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. around campus. With Freebee, students can request a ride from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday.

“Through this new partnership, the University now provides an innovative micro-transit solution with expanded hours,” said the Office of Parking and Transportation.

Late-night transportation, like the one provided by these companies, is a key aspect of creating a secure campus. A study by BJS statisticians Katrina Baum and Patsy Klaus, revealed that over 70% of off-campus crimes occur at night. 

Freebee also offers two “transportation zones” expanding beyond the Coral Gables campus to include some off-campus residencies and certain shopping areas. 

“The app-based Freebee service is custom designed to cater to the University community and operates within a 1- to 2-mile radius of the University,”, the Office of Parking and Transportation said.

Colleges are a large source of carbon ioxide emissions. Commuting accounts for almost 90% of the annual 52,434 metric tons generated. 

To combat this, the University of Miami has a mission statement to “Further expand our commitment and the major efforts already underway to advance environmental responsibility across our University and reduce our carbon footprint.”

Finding “green” alternatives to transportation is an important step in reaching this goal. Freebee employs electrical-only cars. 

“Our electric-only vehicles ensure your rides are emission-free,” its website says. 

Through this, Freebee reports to have saved over 480 thousand grams of CO2 emissions during 2022.

Safe Ride, uniquely, offers the ability to combine multiple rides to limit the production of carbon, a feature that Freebee lacks. 

“Having one passenger in each vehicle isn’t a good use of time or fuel, so an on-demand system dynamically strings trips and people together for the most efficient route possible,” TransLoc’s website says.

This decision was not made by staff members alone. 

“Parking and Transportation met with Student Government and the Dean of Students Office to gain feedback on the switch to Freebee,” the Office of Parking and Transportation assured. “Student input guided the decision for the extended hours now being offered.”

Overall, it appears that students and faculty support the change and are excited about this next step in campus transportation.

“This is a fantastic change for our students and will provide more flexibility and coverage,” said Patricia A. Whitely, senior vice president of student affairs and alumni engagement.

Throughout the year, the Office Parking and Transportation will continue to monitor Freebee’s performance and student response. If you wish to use it, simply request a ride through the UMiami app and select Freebee.

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