Latest news with #MichaelShapiro
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The California League is abandoning Modesto. How pro baseball might stick around
The California League might be ending its long run in Modesto, but professional baseball appears poised to remain. The independent Pioneer League is in talks to place a team at John Thurman Field, the current home of the Modesto Nuts. In a closed session Tuesday, the Modesto City Council discussed the potential terms of a lease under negotiation between the city manager and Pioneer League President Michael Shapiro. The council took no action Tuesday, and neither Shapiro nor a city spokesperson immediately returned messages seeking comment. Modesto's California League history dates to 1946 — John Thurman Field opened in 1955 — but the Nuts are down to their final three homestands. After negotiations for a renovated stadium and a new lease collapsed, the team was sold last December and will move to San Bernardino next season, part of a California League shuffle that includes the Dodgers' affiliate moving into a new ballpark in Ontario. A Modesto team would give the league two new teams next year and 14 in all; leagues prefer an even number of teams for scheduling purposes. The other new team would play in Long Beach, in what would be the city's first entry in an independent league since 2009. Read more: Minor league baseball could be returning to Long Beach On Tuesday, the Long Beach City Council unanimously approved pursuing an agreement with an expansion Pioneer League team that would share historic Blair Field with the Long Beach State baseball program. 'A team in Long Beach is a chance to show what makes Long Beach great: our diversity, our passion and our community spirit,' Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. Paul Freedman, the co-founder of the Pioneer League's Oakland Ballers, would be one of the owners of the Long Beach team. In a Times story last year about the Ballers and how they were filling the baseball void created in Oakland by the departure of the Athletics, Freedman already had his eye on Long Beach. 'I think Long Beach should have a Pioneer League team,' Freedman said then. 'Long Beach has its own unique identity. If I'm from Long Beach, I don't want to be told I have to be a Dodger or Angel fan.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Two New Yorkers Traded the Big Apple for the Beaches of Jamaica for Their Destination Wedding in Montego Bay
A typical night in December of 2020 turned into anything but that when Marley Moos and Michael Shapiro matched on the dating app Hinge. When they realized they also shared a mutual friend, their connection felt less like happenstance and more like fate. The two quickly started dating and enjoyed nearly three years of adventures before Michael proposed on April 7, 2023. The morning began with a walk to their favorite coffee shop in New York's West Village, and when they got home, Michael suggested they check out their building's newly-renovated rooftop. There, with coffee in hand, Michael proposed. 'He went on to share that he had a weekend of surprises for me—with my two best friends and both our families having flown in!' Marley remembers. 'We celebrated all weekend long.' The couple knew they wanted to tie the knot in a warm destination, and since Marley grew up going to Jamaica with her family, it felt like a perfect backdrop for their vow exchange. Thy set the date for November 9, 2024, and invited 145 of their loved ones to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for a weekend of events. 'Once we visited Half Moon, it was clear from the moment we got there that it was the spot for us,' the bride says. 'We wanted a 'weekender' style wedding where our guests could come and relax and have fun all weekend long, not just for a single event.' Plus, they loved that their wedding locale is somewhere they can return year after year with their own family. Once the venue was selected, the rest of the details fell right into place. Marley and Michael knew they wanted an elegant celebration with tropical décor elements, a color palette inspired by the Jamaican landscape, and a memorable dance party. Though the bride took on most of the planning herself, she did entrust her florist at Tai Flora Luxe and Half Moon's in-house planner Andrea Smith to help pull off the details. From a prayer shawl handmade by the bride's grandmother to Red Stripe beer served in a canoe at the cocktail hour, see how the couple personalized their wedding day in photos by DWP Studios. On their wedding morning, Marley and Michael woke up and headed to the ocean for one last dip as fiancés. 'After our morning swim, we sat out on our terrace with coffee and read each other our vows that we wrote,' she says. 'It was an emotional and special morning that I'll never forget.' Once the two parted ways, Marley's closest friends, mother, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law joined her to get ready for the day and enjoy brunch on the terrace. Marley pictured herself in a simple slip dress with an overlay top she could remove for the reception. As soon as she tried on a satin crepe Elizabeth Fillmore slip gown with a cowl back detail paired with a tulle bolero, she knew she found her bridal look. She worked closely with the designer to customize the gown with a bolero and gems at her New York City atelier. Three months before the wedding, Marley received unexpected news about her health. 'I was diagnosed with breast cancer three months before our wedding and had to do a double mastectomy two months before,' she explains. The team at Elizabeth Fillmore, including the designer herself, stepped in to ensure the bride-to-be knew she should focus on getting well and not worry about the gown—they would do everything in their power to ensure it was perfect for her walk down the aisle. 'She halted the dress making when I shared my diagnoses with her and waited to make adjustments, fitting my new measurements until the day before I left for Jamaica to ensure it fit me perfectly," Marley remembers. And, on the big day, Marley stepped into the gown that was stunning crafted just for her. Marley accessorized with pearl and sapphire earrings that her grandmother gifted her mother on her wedding day and a few other pieces of heirloom jewelry. She also added tropical flowers from the resort's garden to her hair, a lovely complement to her low bun. Marley's bouquet consisted of local flowers and greenery from Jamaica, including anthurium, orchids, and ranunculus. Related: Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Dress Alterations Michael customized his wedding suit with Suit Supply. He wore an ivory linen jacket and pants with a white linen shirt and custom Stubbs and Wootton shoes. He chose to skip the tie and added a vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre watch that Marley gave him as a wedding gift. As his big-day fragrance, he wore Byredo Mojave Ghost, a recommendation from his sister. The couple's first look meant that they had extra time to take photos around the property before the celebrations began. 'Michael had been guessing what my dress would look like for months leading up, and when he saw it he was so surprised,' Marley says. 'It was just so emotional seeing each other ready to get married.' The couple's ceremony took place on a beachside lawn of a private villa at the resort. Mr. Angus, a local guitarist who performed for the couple during their first trip to Half Moon years earlier, provided live music for a prelude and the processional. 'He played his own renditions of classic love songs as well as some Jamaican ones,' the bride says. Marley felt strongly about incorporating a few Jewish wedding traditions, so she had both of her parents walk her down the aisle, and the duo tied the knot beneath a chuppah adorned with tropical flowers. They also incorporated a handmade tallit (a Jewish prayer shawl) created by Marley's grandmother into their ceremony, which was a special way to honor her since she wasn't able to attend. Since the couple had already exchanged their personal vows in private, they opted to swap traditional vows in front of family members and friends. At cocktail hour, guests visited a cigar bar and enjoyed appetizers that highlighted the local cuisine, including jerk spring rolls, sushi, and coconut shrimp. A coconut bar was arranged on angular shelving, and guests were encouraged to pick up hydrating coconut drinks branded with Marley and Michael's custom monogram. The couple also filled a canoe with local Red Stripe beer and served two signature cocktails: a 'Mar-garita' as Marley's choice and a 'Shapani Your Way' as Michael's drink of choice. The couple also personalized cups, napkins, and matchbooks with 'Mr. and Mrs. Shapirate," Michael's nickname. Related: A Hydration Station Is the One Thing Your Summer Wedding Is Missing—Here's How to Create One Marley and Michael held their reception in a tent overlooking the ocean. There, woven lanterns and greenery hung from the ceiling while farm-style tables were arranged around a wooden dance floor. Each table was decorated with a lace runner, ivory pillar candles, and tropical centerpieces with local palm leaves, pink orchids, and neutral roses. The place settings featured woven chargers to tie in the lanterns seen throughout the tent. For dinner, the couple served an option of bone marrow crusted filet or coconut crusted local snapper. 'Both were total hits,' Marley says. They also had a three-tiered semi-naked almond and lemon wedding cake with buttercream icing, which was decorated with fresh flowers to match the centerpieces. Marley and Michael opened the dance floor with a first dance to 'This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) " by Natalie Cole. The bride shared a dance with her dad to Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely' and Michael danced with his mom to Rascal Flatts' 'My Wish." The bride and groom set out to host an epic party, so choosing the right entertainment for their reception was critical. 'We had the best local band that brought the most amazing energy,' the bride says. They played classic wedding party songs, pop favorites, and reggae jams. The couple's MC, Monica, kept the night flowing and the energy high, resulting in a hora dance to remember and a few crowd-surfing opportunities. Marley changed into a second bridal look for the reception: a crochet knit Simon Miller halter dress with pearl details. 'The night flowed right into our after-party that was set up on the beach nearby, with a beach bar, s'mores and other late night snacks set up,' Marley notes. 'It was perfect!' With their wedding behind them, the couple plans to head to the South of France and Greece this summer as a delayed honeymoon. To couples in the middle of wedding planning, the couple recommends hiring vendors you can rely on. 'Have fun with it, and trust your team!' Marley says. 'Your vendors have done this many more times than you have, so trust that they know how to do it well.'Photographer DWP Studios Venue, Catering, and Coordination Half Moon Bride's Hair Fern Tree Spa at Half Moon Flowers and Rentals Tai Flora Luxe Invitations Elana Gabrielle Paper Products Invites by Andi Reception Music PACE BandRelated: How Much Does a Destination Wedding Really Cost? Read the original article on Brides
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Program Announcement for Annual ASPC Congress on CVD Prevention August 2025
Detailed Program Agenda Released for 2025 Scientific Sessions KINGWOOD, Texas, April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The ASPC announces details of a full program of events to be held at their annual Congress on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, scheduled for August 1-3, 2025, at the Omni Hotel at the Seaport in Boston, MA. A new pre-conference course – ASPC Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Training Academy – is being offered to clinicians in training as a one-day comprehensive program designed to provide participants with a thorough introduction to preventive cardiology and will be held on Thu., July 31. This program was offered on an application process earlier this year. Selected applicants will be hosted by the ASPC for the duration of the Congress following the Training Academy. ASPC President, Dr. Michael Shapiro shares 'The launch of the ASPC Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Training Academy represents a critical step forward in shaping the next generation of preventive cardiologists. Our goal is to provide trainees with the foundational knowledge, clinical tools, and mentorship they need to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered care. This program embodies the ASPC's unwavering commitment to advancing the science and practice of prevention by investing in future leaders.' The main ASPC 2025 Scientific Sessions program includes diverse content with international experts, honorees in the field of prevention, and a record number of abstracts in the poster hall! The three ASPC honorees are: ASPC is looking forward to honoring these awardees during the opening session of the Congress on Friday, August 1 from 8:00 – 9:05 AM. The ASPC will collaborate with the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) to discuss Advances in Lipoprotein(a) Management during Session 3 on Friday, Augus 1 from 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM. Three rousing debates will be featured during Session 5 on Friday, August 1 from 1:30 – 3:30 PM and additional debates will continue on Saturday, August 2 during Session 6 from 9:00 – 10:30 AM: Other features of the Annual Congress on CVD Prevention include oral abstract presentations and over 200 abstract posters, expert theaters and symposia presented by industry sponsors, sunrise yoga, and an exhibit hall featuring 25+ preventive cardiology related organizations. Detailed program agenda for the Congress on CVD Prevention is available at The ASPC's mission is to promote the prevention of cardiovascular disease, advocate for the preservation of cardiovascular health, and disseminate high-quality, evidence-based information through the education of healthcare clinicians and their patients. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The American Society for Preventive Cardiology
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Feds: Man gets jail for threats in voicemails at Muslim group office in Michigan
A Florida man who left threatening and profanity-laced voicemail messages at the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison. Michael Shapiro, 73, of West Palm Beach, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in Detroit to one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. He was indicted in February 2024 on three counts of the same charge after making calls from his cell phone, according to court records. Federal prosecutors asked for a 27-month sentence, consecutive to a separate 24-month sentence Shapiro is currently serving after being convicted in a federal court in Florida for threatening acts of violence. In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors detailed Shapiro's history of threatening to harm or kill people and their families based on animus or political or personal disagreement, including U.S. Congressmembers and a U.S. Capitol Police agent. Messages were left for his attorney, Elizabeth Young, who could not be reached Thursday. In her sentencing memorandum, Young wrote Shapiro was battling severe major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder at the time of the offense; and that he "deeply regrets his actions in this case, and apologizes to every member of CAIR." She asked for a sentence of 15 months concurrent and six months consecutive to his Florida sentence. Shapiro was accused of leaving six voicemails on the business phone number for CAIR Michigan's office in Canton over the course of two weeks in December 2023, according to his plea agreement, which indicated he was in Florida when he left the voicemails. CAIR is the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Federal prosecutors indicated that a Dec. 8 voicemail included maniacal laughter and stated: "I'm going to kill you b------s." A Dec. 14 voicemail repeatedly stated: "I'm going to kill you!" And a Dec. 15 voicemail, prosecutors stated, included: "You're a violent people. Why do you come to America? Why do you come to Europe? …" Prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum that Shapiro terrorized the people who worked at the Michigan CAIR chapter with the disturbing and threatening bias-motivated calls. "These threats are just one piece of the defendant's ten-year history of threatening to harm others based on animus or disagreement," they wrote. "Despite being contacted by law enforcement over the years about his alarming calls — even having faced arrest and conviction for several — Shapiro has never been deterred and there is no reason to believe that he will be deterred in the future." CAIR reported the calls to Canton police after the first two voicemails. After the third call, the group's executive director directed his employees to work remotely until after the new year out of concern for their safety, prosecutors wrote. His threats did not stop. "The defendant's last call consisted of nine seconds of what can be described as maniacal and unsettling laughter," prosecutors wrote. "The safety concern and fear caused by Shapiro's threats prompted CAIR's landlord to upgrade the security of CAIR's offices by installing new locks and key card access on the doors." When employees returned to the office, the memorandum indicates, the group's staff attorney changed her schedule to make sure she wasn't in the building alone. "The CAIR staff did not know that the defendant was calling from a different state; to them, they feared that the violence that Shapiro threatened could be imminent, especially given the rise of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate incidents" since the war between Israel and Hamas that started in October 2023. Prosecutors said Shapiro called a presidential candidate's campaign office in 2015 stating he was going to "harm her." They wrote when he was interviewed by law enforcement, he apologized and was not arrested. Three years later, prosecutors wrote, he left three voicemails at the office of a U.S. Congresswoman, including one with repeated threats. Again, Shapiro apologized when interviewed by law enforcement and was not arrested, prosecutors wrote. Later in 2018, he placed eight phone calls to the son of a U.S. Congressman, including one that repeatedly threatened: "Tell your father I'm going to kill him." "When interviewed by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI in October 2019, the defendant apologized and said it would never happen again. That promise, like the ones before, proved to be hollow," prosecutors wrote. "Three weeks after the interview, the defendant called the U.S. Capitol Police several times, issuing a series of threats against the Capitol Police agent who had interviewed him." Prosecutors wrote the threats included to kill the agent. For this, Shapiro was convicted of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and sentenced to three years' probation. Not even 11 months after his probation term expired, prosecutors wrote, Shapiro issued the threats to CAIR. About the same time, they indicated, he also threatened a U.S. Congressman by leaving a series of five voicemails Dec. 19, 2023, one of which threatened to kill the Congressman's children and another threatened to kill him. Shapiro was convicted of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and in August was sentenced to 24 months in prison, according to the sentencing memorandum. His sentence of 18 months in the CAIR case is to be served after he finishes his time in prison in Florida. In her sentencing memorandum, Young wrote: "Though no excuse for the harm he has caused, Mr. Shapiro's chronic mental health and substance use issues are important underlying factors that shed light on his behavior in this and prior cases. Mr. Shapiro was once a successful attorney in New York City. Now, he is disbarred, widowed, and alone. His alcoholism and depression have alienated him from his children, impaired his judgment, and led him to act impulsively in response to politically divisive news stories." She wrote that Shapiro is ashamed of his actions in this case and in prior cases; he accepts full responsibility, and acknowledges that he needs professional help to address his depression and alcoholism. She indicated he didn't intend to carry out any act of violence, but his words caused fear among the employees and Muslim community. She wrote that Shapiro, an only child, was born in Romania and his family fled to the U.S. as refugees when he was 13. His father, a Holocaust survivor, had been imprisoned for political reasons. His father's stories about his experience in a German concentration camp in Romania impacted Shapiro "and no doubt shaped his perception of the world at an early age." Young wrote that Shapiro married, had two daughters and became a personal injury attorney and real estate broker in New York City. But, he was battling a serious alcohol addiction and over time "self-destructed," alienated himself from his family and fell apart at work. He engaged in bankruptcy fraud in 1996 to which he turned himself in, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation, according to Young's memorandum. It indicates he still makes restitution payments to victims in the case. Young wrote that Shapiro was investigated for commercial bribery from 1994 to around 2002. It didn't lead to a conviction, according to her memorandum, but he was disbarred in 1999. He and his wife divorced in 2004. "Shapiro further reflected to counsel: 'I became insignificant in my own life. In order to have a voice in my life I started drinking. And I listened to what's going on in the world around me. I wanted my voice to be heard, so I started making phone calls,'" according to the memorandum. Shapiro's second wife died from cancer in 2008; he developed symptoms of depression, retired and moved to Florida to care for aging parents who were in poor health and eventually died. He checked himself into a psychiatric hospital in Florida for two days and began drinking more heavily to cope with his grief and loneliness, Young wrote. "Aside from drinking, Shapiro's sole activity of choice was watching Fox News. Shapiro felt a connection with the anchors on Fox News. Shapiro told counsel: 'They were my lifeline to society,'" according to her memorandum. "Shapiro's depression during this decade of his life made him uniquely vulnerable to the messaging being fed to him through the television. He internalized the vitriol, and fear consumed him. It was in this state of mind that Shapiro made threatening phone calls." Contact Christina Hall: chall@ Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press. Submit a letter to the editor at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Man gets jail for voicemail threats at Muslim group office in Michigan
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Florida man to serve 18 months for threatening Michigan Muslims
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A 73-year-old man from Florida will serve 18 months in prison for sending death threats to the Michigan chapter of the (CAIR). According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, court documents say Michael Shapiro, of West Palm Beach, Florida, placed three separate calls to CAIR's office in Canton, MI, and left voicemails saying the following: 'I'm going to kill you b*****s. I'm going to kill you b*****s.' — sent Dec. 8, 2023 'I'm going to kill you mother f*****g b*****s. Muslims! I'm going to kill you mother f*****s. I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you!' — sent Dec 14, 2023 'You're a violent people. Why do you come to America? Why do you come to Europe? Mother f*****s. You're violent. You're killers. You're rapists. I'm going to kill you mother f*****s!' — sent Dec. 15, 2023 Shapiro pleaded guilty on Dec. 3, 2024, admitting that he intentionally targeted CAIR due to the actual and perceived religion and national origin of the people who work at and are assisted by CAIR. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
