Channel 7 News Miami

Channel 7 News Miami, (AP) – Two tugboats slowly pulled a disabled cruise ship with nearly 4,500 passengers and crew toward San Diego on Wednesday.

The 952-foot Carnival Splendor crept into cell phone range and the onboard phone system started working on a limited basis, allowing passengers mostly cut off from communication since an engine fire Monday to finally reach their loved ones.

Officials said the ship could arrive in San Diego as early as mid-day Thursday.

Among those making calls was David Zambrano, who phoned his employer, Denver TV station 9NEWS, to describe what was happening on the ship. He said people were trying to keep their spirits up by singing, socializing and playing cards.

The ship’s bars, casinos, pools and the upper deck were closed. Rooms in the interior of the ship were pitching black and passengers propped open their doors to let in air and emergency lighting from the hallways.

“So really, all we’re doing is just kind of hanging out on a boat waiting for the next mealtime,” Zambrano said.

Mealtime requires a two-hour wait for cold food. Passengers have been subsisting on Spam, Pop Tarts and canned crabmeat flown in by Navy helicopters.

“It’s almost like a diet cruise because we’ve been eating salads and fruit and small sandwiches,” Zambrano said. “It’s nothing like anyone expected, no.”

The Splendor left Long Beach on Sunday for a seven-day trip to the Mexican Riviera.

On Wednesday, it was 125 miles south of San Diego and was expected to arrive Thursday afternoon or evening if the weather remained good, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Rick Foster said. No storms were forecast.

The journey hit more glitches when a second tugboat sent to help the first was forced to turn back because it wasn’t powerful enough and a third was hooked up Wednesday morning and pulling with no problem, Coast Guard officials said.

Carnival first planned to haul the ship to the Mexican port of Ensenada, not far from a movie studio complex used to film “Titanic,” and bus passengers to the U.S. But the cruise line decided they would be more comfortable on board, spokesman Vance Gulliksen said.

Zambrano said passengers were overjoyed to hear they were heading straight back to California and wouldn’t have to go through the tedious customs process at the border.

“When they said they were towing us to San Diego instead of Ensenada, the cheer could be heard all the way around the boat,” he said. “Everybody was screaming and then every time the rescues boat shows up, people run to the side and they cheer and they wave and they take pictures.”

The ship was 200 miles south of San Diego and about 44 miles off shore when the engine room fire killed its power.

No one was hurt, but those on board were left without air conditioning, hot water or Internet service. Most telephone service also was out.

The ship’s auxiliary power allowed for working toilets and cold water, Gulliksen said.

The U.S. Navy resupplied the ship on Tuesday with thousands of pounds of food and other supplies ferried by helicopter from the USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier diverted from maneuvers nearby.

Passengers were being entertained with acoustic music, board games, dancing, trivia contests and even a scavenger hunt for children, Gulliksen said.

“Overall, generally, the mood on the ship is good,” he said. “The passengers have been very understanding.”

Carnival spokeswoman Joyce Oliva said the ship’s command is able to communicate with outsiders on a backup system.

The situation will be costly for Miami-based Carnival Corp., which is refunding passengers, offering vouchers for future cruises and may have to dry dock the ship if the damage is extensive.

“We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests and we sincerely thank them for their patience,” Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said in a statement.

The last major cruise accident was in 2007 when a ship with more than 1,500 people sank after hitting rocks near the Aegean island of Santorini, Mathisen said. Two French tourists died.

In May, a machine room fire in a cruise ship off the coast of Norway forced off the 607 people on board.

Wsvn

Wsvn, Inaugural Miami Style Awards recognized not only the fashion elite South Florida in style at the W South Beach, but organizers officially announced at the event that Miami International Fashion Week will be back in Miami Beach in 2011 and will renamed the Miami Beach International Fashion Week (MBIFW). The biggest fashion event in Latin American and international United States design innovative designers from around the world is scheduled to take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center March 3-6, 2011.

Since his departure from Miami Beach in 2006, the annual event has grown significantly in its global reach and won an influential role in the garment South Florida, tourism, international trade, and hotels.

“During 2010 shows the Shops at Midtown Miami, we had over 58 international designers from 22 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Lebanon, Europe, who have unveiled their latest collections for women in the evening wear, ready-to-wear, swimwear, menswear, jewelry and accessories, “said founder and president Beth Sobol. “Overall, an estimated Fashion Week contributes about $ 10 million annually to the local economy as participants spend money on hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and transportation.”

MBIFW continue many of its events such as the brand exciting Miami Moda & Music Awards ® show that takes place last night and presents honors and awards to pioneering designers and features electrifying performances by recording stars.

“We are delighted to welcome the Miami Beach International Fashion Week in the island and the Miami Beach Convention Center,” said Bob Balsam, Global Spectrum General Manager at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “Our site and its international flair of Miami Beach make it the ideal place to host an event of this magnitude and prestige. We are convinced that this is the beginning of a very successful partnership and long term with the MBIFW. ”

During the Miami Style Awards, the five winners chosen for their personal style as well as their community service were extraordinary worldly and philanthropists Lea Black, Abigail Pollak, and Alexia Echevarria, famous shoe designer Lisa Pliner, and success beauty and fashion entrepreneur Loren Ridinger. Later that evening, the Grammy-winning singer, producer and composer Albita took the stage for an amazing performance.

Co-organized by the famous fashion designer Julian Chang and MIFW Founder & President Beth Sobol, the event was a spectacular evening of fashion, food, music and cocktails for the Foundation MFW. Celebrity emcee Elaine Lancaster co-organized with Brian Andrews, former WSVN anchor and WTO and director of English TV News NCR to Colombia, and Ileana Garcia, host of Radio Alfombra Roja Romance.

The clothing designers who presented collections during the awards ceremony were Miami Style Julian Chang, Nicolas Felizola, Viviana G Petit Pois, Andres Vieira sewing Souls, Zebra, Erin Healy and Luca Luca. The creators of jewelry and accessories included Amalo Art to Wear, Shannon St. Clair Ankora jewelry, jewelry Musa, Charles Albert Jewelry, Cyclus, Zunco and Accessories.

Tiffany & Co., W Hotel South Beach Morracanoil, Miami Institute for Age Management & Intervention, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Cravings Magazine, Laser Cosmetica, and Capponi Group are sponsors of the event. Solea Restaurant Catering with music provided by DJ Frank Delour.

About Fashion Week in Miami
Beth Sobol, president of Sobol Fashion Productions, Inc., founded Miami Fashion Week ® in 1999 after a distinguished career as an international fashion model. She has worked with some of the most influential designers of the fashion world and the producers and launched Miami Fashion Week provide a platform for designers from Latin America for an international exhibition. Over the past 12 years, FW has become one of the events of the fashion world featuring premier designers in Europe, USA and Canada, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia as well as the largest showcase of Latin American design talent in the United States.

Broward County Schools

Broward County Schools, (AFP) – Police in Broward County, Florida ordered all area schools locked down following a threat that someone was planning to go to a school and start shooting.

Students are being kept in all the county schools and police in the city of Pembroke Pines are investigating the case, said an agent with the Broward County Sheriff’s Department.

The county is located just north of Miami.

“There has been a threat, so for the safety of all our students and staff, all schools at the Broward County school district are on lockdown until further notice,” ran a phone message at Pembroke Pines police station, which is handling the case.

“As this information is updated we will post the information,” the message added.

Pembroke Pines city police did not respond to AFP phone calls.

Police in the morning received what they described as a “credible threat” against the county schools, followed by an e-mail message indicated that “something was going to happen” around Broward County government buildings, the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported.

Schools Superintendent James Notter told the newspaper that the 230,000 public school students and faculty and employees were placed in lockdown and were safe.

Hurricane Danielle Path

Hurricane Danielle Path, COOLJEEPS! reports that through his Twitter that the Dolphins have traded Greg Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings. While the movement is good, because it opens things up for the Dolphins to sign a couple of younger, faster guys on the final list of 53 players, this news still sucks balls. Sucks em dry.

Not only because the man can take a soccer ball with his ass, but because we have it on good authority that he was a fan of this blog here. Also, he is more or less a legend after dolphins alone saves us from the depths of a winless season. Now is out to catch passes with the ass of the old Cockshots Man. It’s gonna suck ass Mexican Kosher watching the game against our team two weeks of the season. Goy.

Camarillo COOLJEEPS texted! and this is what he said about trade:

“Mixed emotions. Great opportunity. But this is home. These partners are my brothers.”

God Speed, Greg.

No matter where your career takes you here, you will always be remembered for the following: