Mona Charen: Trends In Religious Activity Having Impact On Politics

ATLANTA  The cycle of mediocrity had a chance to add something of meaning Saturday at State Farm Arena. Instead, no three-game winning streak for the Miami Heat, just a 120-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena and a 15-14 record going into Sunday night’s game against the Houston Rockets to conclude this three-game trip. After victories over the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic earlier in the week, the Heat could not continue the success in the enduring absence of Jimmy Butler, even with the Hawks even more shorthanded. Unlike Thursday in Orlando, when the Heat overcame trailing almost the entire way, this time there was no breakthrough, even with guard Tyler Herro going for 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and center Bam Adebayo with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Hawks got 28 points from forward Jalen Johnson, 26 from forward De’Andre Hunter and 15 assists from guard Trae Young. Five Degrees of Heat from Saturday’s game: 1.

8212; Jakub Dobes stopped 34 shots in his NHL debut, Kirby Dach had his first two-goal game in nearly two years, and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Saturday. Dobes, a 23-year-old from the Czech Republic, went 9-3-1 with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in the minors this season, his second as a pro. He became the first goaltender to record a shutout against the defending Stanley Cup champion in his NHL debut since Daren Puppa for Buffalo at Edmonton on Nov.

ORLANDO — Many of Miami’s top departing players are participating in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but there is one big exception: star Xavier Restrepo. The veteran Hurricanes wide receiver is opting out of Saturday’s bowl game against Iowa State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando and declaring for the draft, posting his draft declaration on social media.

DELRAY BEACH — Three firefighters and 12 train passengers were hospitalized after a Brightline train crashed with a fire truck in crowded downtown Delray Beach late Saturday morning. The crash took place about 10:45 a.m. near the intersection of East Atlantic Avenue and Railroad Avenue, city officials said. Two of the firefighters were transported as trauma alerts in serious condition, according to Delray Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ronald Martin, who had just arrived at the scene of the crash from Delray Medical Center, where he had been visiting the firefighters.

MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins’ trip to Cleveland to face the Browns marks a return to the city where coach Mike McDaniel and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver first connected as coaches a decade ago. McDaniel spent one season in Cleveland, as Browns wide receivers coach. Weaver was on the same coaching staff, as defensive line coach. Of course, the conversation about then and now, with the two together in Miami (7-8), starts with the weather. “Oh man, we were a lot colder than we are now,” Weaver said this past week. Said McDaniel: “You want to talk about people that appreciate a 65-degree day.

Two men walked into a Fort Lauderdale office building last week. One never came out. The other man, Nenad Milosevic, 56, is now charged with second-degree murder, according to police. Milosevic and Anthony D’Amore, 73, had entered a business around 10 p.m. on Dec 20th in the office building at 6245 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale Police said in a news release. Multiple businesses are located at the address, including air conditioning, real estate services and a mortgage broker. After three days with no sign of D’Amore, police received a request for a wellness check on Dec.