MIAMI (WSVN) With the kickoff inching closer, 7News is getting a closer look at the artist behind the iconic FIFA Miami piece that was unveiled in Wynwood earlier this year. The official FIFA World Cup 26 Miami host city poster captures the essence of Miami’s dynamic culture and community. Artist Rubem Robierb, who is a part time South Florida resident, said he used some kickin’ creativity to fit all of South Florida’s magic into one frame. “As an artist, it’s a huge honor to represent the City of Miami. It’s such a global stage,” he said. Robierb said the poster showcases Miami as a city where art, culture, and futbol unite in a bold and diverse celebration. “An image that everyone from all over the world, as soon as they see the image, they will immediately relate to Miami, and that’s what we did,” he said. The artist said that making the poster was a bit of a challenge, as he tried to fit all that makes the city special into one artwork. But he believes the final product manages to do that very well. “As an artist, it was really special that opportunity to do that poster because representing the City of Miami in such a global stage and connecting with such a big audience is a blessing for us, as an artist, because you are not close just in the art world, but you bring your art to everyone,” said Robierb. He gave 7News a deep dive into what each part of the poster represents. For example, the ball represents Miami as a cultural melting pot with every neighborhood represented. The background, including the crowd on the beach, depicts people welcoming those from around the world. But he said the highlight of it all was the flamingo. “For me, it’s the most unofficial symbol of Miami because people from all over the world relate flamingos with Miami, and I want to make the flamingo really fun, really playful, and that’s why I picture the flamingo as a soccer player,” said Robierb. He said he put his own finishing touches on the poster, adding a splash of glitter to top it off. Since its unveiling, the artist says he’s happy about what he’s heard about the poster and the opportunity to connect with people around the world. “Me and FIFA Miami, we are really happy about the feedback we got from the poster, because we got to connect with people all over the world. Here in Miami, everyone feels represented, everyone. If you’re from Hialeah or from South Beach or from Coconut Grove, you will see yourself here in the poster because you know what represents you,” said Robierb. The poster is one of 16 distinctive posters representing each host city in next year’s World Cup. It’s the first time in World Cup history that each host city is commemorated with its own bespoke artwork. Copyright.
https://wsvn.com/sports/artist-provides-insight-background-on-iconic-fifa-world-cup-2026-miami-poster/
Tag: neighborhood
At least 6 businesses burglarized in about 90 mins. across Chicago part of string of crimes: police
CHICAGO (WLS) — Thieves have been busy this week, knocking off businesses. Early Thursday morning, a group smashed into a GameStop on Cermak Road, and hit El Taconazo Restaurant that’s just steps away in the city’s Heart of Chicago neighborhood. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch And at Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream on 47th Street in Bronzeville, there was a similar scene Thursday morning. The owner said the alarm company called him in the middle of the night. When he arrived, the register was gone and even the safes had been taken. The Cermak burglaries were part of a string of crimes, Chicago police said. SEE ALSO: CPD issues alert for dozens of armed robberies over last month across Chicago In each incident, two to four men between 20 and 30 year old, wearing dark-colored hooded sweatshirts, sweatpants and ski masks, forcibly entered businesses after breaking the front glass door, Chicago police said. Once inside, suspects stole money in safes and cash registers, CPD said. In one incident, one of the suspects pointed a gun and threatened to shoot the unsuspecting victim as he arrived to work and entered into the business, according to police. A stolen gray 2011 Infiniti four-door sedan and a black 2017 Infiniti four-door sedan were identified as being used by the suspects in a majority of incidents. The crimes took place at the following times and locations: 3300-block of North Broadway at 3: 20 a. m. on Nov. 5 (Lake View East) 7100-block of North Ridge Boulevard at 3: 32 a. m. on Nov. 5 (West Ridge) 600-block of West Washington Boulevard at 4: 30 a. m. on Nov. 5 (West Loop) 400-block of South Wells Street at 5 a. m. on Nov. 5 (Chicago Loop) 1900-block of South State Street at 4: 58 a. m. on Nov. 7 (Near South Side) 2000-block of South Clark Street at 5: 04 a. m. on Nov. 7 (South Loop) 500-block West Harrison Street at 5: 40 a. m. on Nov. 7 (Near West Side) 6100-block of North Milwaukee Avenue at 5: 04 a. m. on Nov. 15 (Norwood Park) 6700-block of North Northwest Highway at 5: 21 a. m. on Nov. 15 (Edison Park) 3400-block of North Elston Avenue at 6: 30 a. m. on Nov. 15 (Avondale) 4300-block of West Irving Park Road at 3: 11 a. m. on Nov. 20 (Old Irving) 4300-block of West Irving Park Road at 3: 11 a. m. on Nov. 20 (Old Irving) 4300-block of West Irving Park Road at 3: 54 a. m. on Nov. 20 (Old Irving) 2300-block of West Cermak Road at 4: 25 a. m. on Nov. 20 (Lower West Side) 2300-block of West Cermak Road at 4: 27 a. m. on Nov. 20 (Lower West Side) 800-block of West Jackson Boulevard at 4: 41 a. m. on Nov. 20 (West Loop) Anyone with information should call Area Three Detectives at (312) 744-8263.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-burglaries-least-6-businesses-burglarized-90-minutes-old-irving-park-west-loop-lower-side-cpd-says/18181639/
Pacific Palisades businesses are coming back, and Nancy Silverton announces a new restaurant at The Village
LOS ANGELES There’s a lot of progress happening in the Palisades, and as homes start to go up, businesses are slowly returning to the neighborhood. Although thousands of businesses were either lost or displaced after the Palisades Fire, a handful have returned. Nancy Silverton and Rick Caruso recently announced a new restaurant that will anchor The Village in the Palisades, called Spacca Tutto, set to open in August 2026. In the Highlands, Spruzzo Palisades owner Ryan Gowhari says months after reopening his restaurant, sales are not yet up to pre-fire levels. But business owners say confidence is growing as more residents begin the process of rebuilding.
http://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/business/2025/11/19/palisades-businesses-coming-back
My boyfriend and I moved from Minnesota to Oregon on a whim. I hated it for the first year, but I stuck it out anyway.
I have lived most of my life in Minnesota, and like any good Midwesterner, I planned to grow old in the state. I wanted to live close to my family and friends. I was ready to settle in and call Minneapolis home for the rest of my life. I built a community I loved and had my little routines down pat.
I biked to sunrise yoga at Lake Harriet in the summer, grabbed countless loaves of sourdough from my favorite bakery across the street, and joined an adult swim team at my local community pool each week. So when my boyfriend suggested that we move across the country, I surprised even myself by agreeing immediately.
I love to travel, hike, and spend time outside, and we had friends on the West Coast, so we thought it would be a fun adventure. We both had fully remote jobs at the time, so we didn’t even need to think about finding work, which made the decision that much easier.
### Struggling to Find Community in Oregon
After six months as an Oregon resident, I began to question my decision to move across the country. Why would I move away from my family, friends, beloved bakery, and sunrise yoga? Although we had friends in Oregon, it still proved harder than we thought to establish a genuine sense of community.
We lived in an apartment in the suburbs of Portland that I hated, and I desperately missed my friends and my neighborhood in Minneapolis. We attended the events that we were invited to, but something just wasn’t clicking. I started to think something was wrong with me.
I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands, rather than relying on the people we already knew to fulfill that sense of community.
### Pushing Myself to Attend an Event — And Meeting a Close Friend
As a fully remote worker, it’s easy to feel isolated and even harder to meet people. So one rainy fall night, I decided to attend a networking event in Portland. On the drive into the city, the rain was coming down in sheets, and I kept thinking, “What the hell am I doing? Maybe this is a sign I shouldn’t go to this thing.”
I soldiered on and showed up a few minutes late, trying to calm my nerves with a drink while folks made introductions. When it came time to introduce myself, I said my piece, and another woman across the room said, “Looks like we have a few things in common, let’s chat later!”
It turns out that this woman would be one of my first friends in Oregon. This event made me believe all the wonderful things I had heard about Portlanders before I moved there. I felt the warmth and welcoming community that I had yet to experience in other spaces.
It turns out that I just needed to find the right group of people.
### Finding My Community with Newfound Confidence
The first year I lived in Oregon shook my confidence. I didn’t feel accepted or worthy of friendship. I was ready to give up and just move back home.
However, that one networking event planted a seed of confidence that, just maybe, it was possible to grow and have a thriving community in Oregon. After that event, I joined a hiking group, started taking French language classes at the local community college, and joined Bumble BFF.
That event gave me the confidence to keep trying and putting myself out there. While I don’t have a million friends, I have a few friendships that count.
My boyfriend and I (and our dog) left the suburbs, and now we live in Portland. Living in the city has been the shift I needed to really love it here. I’ve come to love Portland for its quirky charm, amazing food, endless coffee shops, and access to nature.
I’m glad I stuck it out in the end.
https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-from-minnesota-to-oregon-hated-it-2025-11
Torn Light Records reopens after a month of mopping up
Torn Light Records Relocates to Chicago’s Bucktown Neighborhood Amid Setbacks
Torn Light Records moved from Cincinnati to Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood in June 2024 and quickly established itself as one of our city’s premier record stores. However, in early October, broken plumbing in the unit above Torn Light flooded the shop four times within a 48-hour period, forcing owners Alex York and Dan Buckley to temporarily shutter the storefront.
“It was a very scary month,” York says. “Truly horrible, making zero dollars for a month. For a small business, it doesn’t work. We don’t have excess cash.”
Earlier in November, York and Buckley received some funds from their insurance company and have been diligently working to reopen the shop. York hopes to be back in business this weekend.
York estimates that Torn Light lost nearly 5,000 records due to water damage, including 3,000 seven-inch records that made up the shop’s entire online inventory. “The sections that were hit were jazz, modern classical, avant-garde,” he explains. “So kind of our hallmarks for larger sales and things that people traveling will stop in to buy from us.”
Over the past month, York and Buckley have depleted their modest savings to pay staff while waiting on their insurance claim. York says insurance is helping cover the cost of replacing the custom furniture that Buckley built for Torn Light, but even with that payout, restocking remains a challenge for a shop that mostly sells used records, CDs, and cassettes.
“A lot of the inventory we have, it’s not necessarily replaceable,” York says. “Of course, I could find a Cecil Taylor LP again, but if I have it out for $20, I probably found it for $12 somewhere—how the hell am I gonna find that again? We’re just having to do whatever we can.”
Torn Light’s staff have come to terms with the necessity to reopen the shop with a slimmer selection. “Reopening without our jazz section is crazy to me,” York admits, “but I’m just trying to let go of it and say, ‘This is just a small blip in time in a much larger lineage of the store. We will have jazz records again.’”
Avondale Venue the Fallen Log Announces Closure
Last week, word spread through Chicago’s DIY scene that Avondale venue the Fallen Log was closing. On Friday, the business made it official with a public announcement: its last day would be Sunday, November 23.
The Fallen Log shares ownership and a building with vegan pizza spot Kitchen 17, which is also closing. “We decided to close for the same reason many businesses close: Unfortunately, the bottom line just wasn’t there,” says co-owner Joe Mertz.
Mertz and co-owner Jennie Plasterer opened the Fallen Log in March 2023, shortly after moving Kitchen 17 to Avondale from Lakeview. The venue quickly became one of Chicago’s most interesting spots, hosting a range of underground bands that typically perform in DIY spaces. Most shows were all-ages, a rarity among aboveground venues in the city.
Cole Hunt of TV Buddha served as the Fallen Log’s talent buyer for about a year and a half, often bringing in emerging acts from the Hallogallo indie-rock scene. Even after he moved on, that scene maintained strong ties to the venue. For example, in August, Peter Cimbalo (live drummer for Kai Slater’s Sharp Pins project) celebrated his new psych-tinged album as Alga with a full-band set at Fallen Log.
“I hope someone comes in and continues the venue, especially the all-ages portion,” Mertz says. “It’s hard to do, but I have really come to believe that it is important for the community, and I hope that some of that legacy lives on.”
The Fallen Log will host a closing party and farewell show on Tuesday, November 25, though details had not been announced by publication time.
Public Works Launches “Fuck ICE: A Popular American Sentiment” T-Shirt
Last week, Public Works launched preorders for a T-shirt called “Fuck ICE: A Popular American Sentiment.” Public Works is a Wicker Park gallery, shop, and venue connected to design studio and music label Someoddpilot.
The new shirt features a photo of a miked-up amplifier cabinet with “Fuck ICE” spelled out in tape across its grille. The shirts cost $40, with approximately $25 from each sale going to Palenque LSNA, an immigrant-focused liberatory community organization, and other efforts supporting those harmed by ICE. The first run of shirts begins shipping Saturday, November 15.
Ira Glass to Release New EP, Celebrates with Free Empty Bottle Show
On Friday, November 14, Chicago posthardcore band Ira Glass will release their new EP, Joy Is No Knocking Nation, their second for Fire Talk imprint Angel Tapes. This release highlights more of Jill Roth’s saxophone blasts, underscoring the dread in Lise Ivanova’s half-spoken, half-screamed vocals.
To celebrate, Ira Glass will headline a free show at the Empty Bottle on Monday, November 17. Repent and Alive Girl will open, and Henry Tegethoff will spin between sets. Music starts at 9 PM.
Lia Kohl and Alta Vista Celebrate New Records at Constellation
Cellist and sound artist Lia Kohl releases her latest solo album, Various Small Whistles and a Song, on Friday, November 14. She performs the same night at Constellation alongside Chicago postrock trio Alta Vista, who are also celebrating a new record: Won’t Believe in Dust, which builds on the searching, warped Americana sound of their 2023 self-titled debut.
Tickets cost $20.72, and the show begins at 8:30 PM.
Brazen bank robber fakes limp to carry out broad-daylight heist in Louisiana
A daring thief, disguised with a cane and neck brace, faked a limp while robbing a Louisiana bank last Friday—only to abandon the ruse and sprint away with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to police.
The brazen robbery occurred at a Fidelity Bank branch in Slidell, a quiet city just outside of New Orleans, shortly before closing time on November 7. Slidell police were taken aback as they reviewed the bank’s security footage, revealing a lanky man, fully covered and dramatically limping into the branch.
The suspect leaned on a cane that appeared too short for him and avoided bending one leg, as seen in the video. His peculiar ensemble included a gray jumpsuit, a large black-rimmed hat, sunglasses, a medical face mask, a clear fanny pack, and a conspicuous neck brace.
According to a news release from the Slidell Police Department, the alleged thief staggered up to the teller, handed over a note, and announced that “it was a robbery.” In response, the teller placed an undisclosed amount of cash on the counter, which the suspect swiftly swept into his fanny pack.
With the cash in hand, the man exited the bank, dropping his limp and casually walking out. Once outside, surveillance footage caught him sprinting down the street and into a nearby neighborhood, casting aside any pretense of injury.
Police attempted to locate the suspect with the help of a K-9 unit but believe he may have escaped the area by vehicle. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are seeking more information from the public.
The audacious nature of the suspect’s act caught the attention of many on social media, with viewers expressing disbelief over how easily he made off with the cash.
“Funny but not funny! This guy could definitely win an Academy Award!!!” one Facebook user commented on the department’s post.
“They need to start stashing some motion picture money close by for instances like this,” another suggested.
“Walks in with a handicapped tag, runs across the parking lot like he’s on a cross country team,” added a third commenter.
The Slidell Police Department urges anyone with information about the robbery to come forward.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/10/us-news/brazen-bank-robber-fakes-limp-to-carry-out-broad-daylight-heist-in-louisiana/
Family pays $1.3 million for dream home, then mysterious letters start arriving. What ‘the Watcher’ knew about their children made them flee
Derek and Maria Broaddus were thrilled when they purchased a large six-bedroom house on Boulevard Street in Westfield, New Jersey, in June 2014. They paid $1.3 million for what they believed would be the perfect home to raise their three young children.
However, their excitement soon turned to fear. Just days after moving in, the family began receiving strange letters. According to CBS News, the first letter appeared ordinary but quickly took a disturbing turn. It was signed by someone calling themselves “The Watcher,” who claimed to have been observing the house for many years. The letter stated that it was now their turn to watch the Broaddus family.
The letters were chilling, but the scariest part was the Watcher’s unsettling comments about the Broaddus children. The writer referred to the kids as “young blood” and seemed fixated on them. One letter said, “I am pleased to know your names now and the name of the young blood you have brought to me.” Another letter asked whether the children would “fill the house.” The Watcher even ominously mentioned that if the children were playing upstairs, no one would hear them scream from the basement.
Over the course of about a year and a half, the Broaddus family received a total of four letters, each more eerie than the last. The Watcher demonstrated an unnerving level of knowledge: they knew the children’s names and nicknames and were aware of when workers were at the house. It was clear they knew details that couldn’t be seen by simply passing by.
In an attempt to feel secure, Derek installed cameras all around the property and invested in an advanced security system. Despite these efforts, the family was too frightened to live in the house and never spent a single night there. Instead, they stayed with relatives, even though they had spent over a million dollars on their new home.
The entire ordeal highlights just how terrifying it can be when someone threatens your family, especially your children.
Law enforcement worked diligently to uncover the identity of the Watcher. Police interviewed neighbors and tested DNA from the envelopes, even suspecting a nearby family might be responsible. However, no conclusive evidence was found. Private detectives and former FBI agents also investigated the case but failed to solve the mystery.
Unable to live in the house, the Broaddus family tried to sell or rent it out but faced great difficulty. Eventually, in 2019, the house sold for $959,000—a loss of over $400,000, not including legal and investigative expenses.
The new owners have not reported receiving any strange letters. To this day, the true identity of the Watcher remains unknown.
The entire experience left the Broaddus family financially strained and emotionally stressed, a painful example of how unexpected threats can upend lives.
In 2022, Netflix released a show titled *The Watcher* based on this bizarre case. Starring Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale, the series captivated over 125 million viewers in its first week alone.
The Watcher case remains one of New Jersey’s strangest and most chilling unsolved mysteries.
https://wegotthiscovered.com/fyi/family-pays-1-3-million-for-dream-home-then-mysterious-letters-start-arriving-what-the-watcher-knew-about-their-children-made-them-flee/
Boy, 15, fatally wounded in Near West Side shooting
A 15-year-old boy was tragically gunned down in a drive-by shooting on Chicago’s Near West Side Friday afternoon.
The teen was standing on the sidewalk in the 1300 block of West Grenshaw Street, located in the Little Italy/UIC neighborhood, at approximately 4:15 p.m. when an unknown vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire.
According to Chicago police, the boy was struck in the chest and leg. He was immediately taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead.
As of 6 p.m. Friday, no arrests had been made. Belmont area detectives are actively investigating the incident.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/31/chicago-little-italy-shooting-police/
Elon Musk Wades Into the Debate Over Robotaxis Killing Cats. Guess Which Side He’s On
In between trying to become the world’s first trillionaire, expanding his defense contracting business, fighting the “woke mind virus,” feuding with Sam Altman, and overseeing half a dozen tech companies, Elon Musk has somehow found the time to wade into the debate over a tragic incident involving a rogue Waymo robotaxi.
Earlier this week in San Francisco, a beloved bodega cat was reportedly run over and killed by an autonomous vehicle—a fact the company, Waymo, appears to have admitted. The feline, named KitKat but also affectionately known as “the mayor of 16th street,” was a longtime staple of Randa’s Market in the city’s Mission neighborhood.
KitKat’s owner, Mike Zeidan, told The San Francisco Standard that his pet was hit by the robotaxi late Monday night. “Honestly, man, it’s difficult,” Zeidan said. “He was a one-of-a-kind cat. He brought joy to so many people. People loved him.”
Waymo confirmed the incident, stating, “We reviewed this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away.” A company spokesperson added, “We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him.”
On Friday, Elon Musk weighed in on the conversation by retweeting a post defending driverless cars as a potential savior, not a killer, of neighborhood pets. The original tweet by @WholeMarsBlog highlighted some sobering statistics: “5.4 million cats are hit by cars every year in the U.S., and 97 percent of those cats die from their injuries. Autonomy will dramatically reduce that number.”
Musk added his own comment: “True, many pets will be saved by autonomy.”
It’s commendable that Elon Musk took time out of his busy schedule to engage in the discourse surrounding KitKat’s unfortunate death. Considering Musk’s own ambitions to launch a robotaxi service, it’s clear he has a vested interest in this debate.
However, the truth is that we don’t yet know if autonomous cars will actually reduce the number of feline deaths on the road. The debate continues as technology and public safety evolve hand in hand.
https://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-wades-into-the-debate-over-robotaxis-killing-cats-guess-which-side-hes-on-2000680234
I moved from New York City to Los Angeles. Drinking culture and work-life balance feel so different on the West Coast.
I knew Los Angeles was a driving city, but I didn’t realize how common it is for people here to treat their cars like big, expensive accessories. It feels like the norm to spend significant amounts of time and money washing and caring for vehicles.
In my experience, when someone has a car in New York City (and can actually find a parking spot for it), they really only drive it on weekends to leave the city. They’re almost certainly not souping the vehicle up LA-style.
On a Saturday night in New York City, my friends and I would usually casually barhop without a clear plan. We might have chosen a neighborhood or had a starting point in mind, but we’d always end up walking a block or two to try to find our next hangout spot.
In contrast, I’ve found that Los Angeles bar culture seems more destination-oriented. People pick a spot—maybe two—and that’s the night. There seems to be more forethought and logistics involved in night-out plans, perhaps because a lot of people drive and don’t want to leave their cars, or they need to plan their drinking around sobering up to drive home.
In my experience, drinking alcohol in LA doesn’t seem as popular as it did in New York. In LA, there’s a good chance you or someone in your friend group is driving home from the bar, so they’ll be drinking less alcohol or sticking to mocktails. People in New York are more likely to use public transportation, so they don’t have to worry about getting behind the wheel after a night out.
It also feels easier to make plans that don’t involve alcohol in LA since the warm weather lends itself to a lot of other options for socializing, like hiking, biking, or walking on the beach.
Since LA’s weather is great most of the time, with lots of sunshine and warmth, people here are quick to be unhappy when it’s anything less than perfect. When there’s a strong breeze, it’s cloudy, it’s below 60 degrees, or it’s raining a little, I’ve noticed that Angelenos seem more likely to cancel plans or be quick to complain. The attitude feels contagious, too.
I once decided it was too chilly to write in my yard and went inside—it was 65 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, with a slight breeze. I wasn’t always this way, though. During my time in New York, 65 degrees and sunny in March equaled hundreds of people (including myself) flocking to Central Park with picnic baskets, games, and cheese boards to bask in the sun all day. New Yorkers know very well what all the highs and lows of changing seasons can look like, and a little rain or wind doesn’t stop them.
In my opinion, hustle culture doesn’t feel as glamorized in LA as it did back home. Where being busy can translate to looking important in NYC—I’ve been that girl with her computer at the bar on a Friday night—people I’ve encountered in LA seem to set better boundaries to protect their work-life balance.
I can’t help but think the perfect weather has something to do with it. Sure, this city is also full of people chasing their dreams, but it feels a lot easier to stop and take a break when you’ve got the California coast at your fingertips.
*This story was originally published on April 23, 2025, and most recently updated on October 17, 2025.*
https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-from-east-coast-to-west-coast-nyc-la-differences