Today we kiss yet another month goodbye. We only have three months left in the year. Amazing, right? It feels like we were just ringing in 2016. And there was certainly no shortage of headlines in September. It saw the presidential race heat up, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump edging ever closer to election day. Unfortunately, we witnessed bombings in New York and New Jersey; thankfully, no one was hurt. Eight people did sustain injuries in a stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall, for which ISIS has claimed responsibility. Other stories included the untimely death of Marlins pitcher José Fernandez, who was killed in a boating accident in Miami; Congress overriding President Obama's veto of a bill that will allow the families of people who died on 9/11 to sue Saudi Arabia; and controversial police shootings in North Carolina and Oklahoma that sparked riots in both states. I'm hoping October will be more tranquil and less dramatic than September was. Something t...

Have you ever stopped and asked: What if someone -- whether a world-renowned singer or acclaimed dancer -- weren't famous? Would they still leave the same legacy? In a blog post two days ago, I wrote about Jose Fernandez, a promising baseball star who died in a boating accident in Miami Beach on Sunday morning. Two other men on the boat -- both friends of his -- were also killed. The outpouring of grief across South Florida since the accident is unlike anything I've ever seen in baseball -- and in the community as a whole. Jose became something of a celebrity in his hometown and all around baseball, not only for his amazing talent but because of the energy he radiated on and off the field. You'd be hard-pressed not to find him smiling at, hugging, or laughing with someone. The two other men who died in the accident were not ballplayers or anyone famous -- they were just two regular young men whose lives were tragically cut short. Not surprisingly, Jose's frien...

Even if you're not a sports fan, you might have already learned of this in the news, as all the major media outlets are covering the tragic story. Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and two others were killed in a boat crash in Miami overnight. This tragedy hits close to home, literally, as I was born and raised in South Florida and still live here to this day. I've followed the Marlins closely since the organization's inception in 1993. Over the years, I've watched countless Marlins games on TV or in person with my dad; we were even on hand for a few playoff games during their improbable championship run in 2003. Because my wife and I moved farther from the stadium last year -- and due to other commitments -- I haven't been as avid a fan the last couple of years, but I still try to catch a game every so often and keep up with the standings. Authorities say speed may have been a factor, and it doesn't appear that drugs or alcohol were involved. A Coast...