Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has vetoed a controversial lobbying contract that included a law firm that has generously supported his political campaign for the county’s top elected position. Citing the county commission’s failure to cut the cost of Miami-Dade’s lobbying services, Gimenez killed the deal yesterday. He told the Miami…
Miami locals’ New Year’s resolutions
2011 sucked for the average Miami sports fan. The Big 3 and the Miami Heat were bitched-slapped by the most annoying guest star on Entourage, a German white walker, a Puerto Rican hobbit, and the most overrated sixth man in the NBA. The Ex-Florida-Now-Miami Marlins continued to suck on the…
Let’s face it. For most of us, keeping a New Year’s resolution is as likely as the Miami Dolphins finally finding Dan Marino’s successor in the draft.And some locals should look back on the past year with shameful regret.They could use a fresh start, so Banana Republican came up with…
On Dec. 14, Miami Police officers hauled off Reid Welch to jail because he sent his nemesis, Miami city Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, an email. According to his arrest report, Welch violated a temporary restraining order prohibiting him from contacting Sarnoff and his wife.Welch’s arrest is the latest skirmish involving the…
Long before Luther Campbell and 2 Live Crew spewed their raunchy, explicit lyrics on America, there was Blowfly. Born Clarence Reid in 1939 in Cochran, Georgia, he credits his grandmother for his alter ego’s moniker. “According to her, when the comet struck the Earth, killing all the dinosaurs, all that…
Miami Lakes councilmen allegedly broke Sunshine Law
A local law firm that raised at least $30,000 in campaign funds for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is seeing its investment pay off. On Monday, the county commission approved Gimenez’s request to split Miami-Dade’s state lobbying contract among four companies, including Orlando-based Akerman Senterfitt & Eidson, which has an extensive…
This past December 13 around 10:30 p.m., three Miami Lakes councilmen — Tim Daubert, Nelson Hernandez, and Richard Pulido — huddled inside the Miami Lakes Ale House, a sports bar a couple of blocks from town hall. Moments later, a local activist named David Bennett pulled up a stool. Then,…
Last year, we reported on the epic battle Fahmie was waging against Burns as the two men jockeyed for customers across the street from one another. This year, Burns and Fahmie have set up shop blocks away from each other, but they remain on frosty terms. The latest skirmish began with…
Miami food truck disappears, a 25-year-old is killed
Rolling Stove Yamil Rosaly Jr. Nagib Castillo Miami
After having a conversation about Florida Power & Light with Commissioner Deede Weithorn, Banana Republican is convinced it’s time for an Occupy Turkey Point rally. It’s bad enough the Florida Public Service Commission approved a rate increase for FP&L so the utility giant can cover $20 million in nuclear costs…
In Saturday’s edition of the Miami Herald, former U.S. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart penned an opinion letter shilling for his client, Genting, the Malaysian-based gaming conglomerate that wants to transform the last prime piece of downtown Miami’s waterfront land into a gargantuan casino.Diaz-Balart cautions Herald readers “to see through the scare…
The former star quarterback from Miami Central Senior High who broke Jacory Harris’ passing record, is leaving the University of Central Florida after following his breakout freshman season with a sophomore slump. Jeffrey Godfrey, who had requested a release from his scholarship, can transfer to any school that is not…
Veldora Arthur, the disgraced Miami assistant fire chief who collected $120,000 in pay while she sat at home for seven months awaiting trial, could face a longer prison sentence if federal prosecutors have their way. On Sept. 30, a federal jury found Arthur guilty on three counts of mail fraud…
Anyone who followed the recall movement versus former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas knows the group that sought her ouster calls itself Miami Voice and is chaired by activist Vanessa Brito. Miami Lakes dentist David Bennett, who supported Seijas, certainly knew about Britto’s Miami Voice when he incorporated a non-profit…
Rep. Erik Fresen’s IRS debt and alleged nepotism
Over the past six months, state Rep. Erik Fresen has established himself as the go-to-politician for the gambling industry tycoons who want to bring gargantuan casino resorts to the Magic City. The lawmaker from Coral Gables is the mastermind behind one of two proposed bills that would allow Malaysian-based Genting…
A dozen rows of 220 upright empty toilet paper rolls are lined up neatly against one another on a wood table. The center of the cardboard cylinders are stuffed with crumpled up pieces of even more empty toilet paper rolls. Los Angeles gallery owner Mihai Nicodim, a silver fox with…
You can say Max Rameau is a social activist trendsetter. Long before the Occupy Wall Street movement was even an idea, Rameau was leading the charge for the disenfranchised 99 percent with his Take Back The Land organization. Five years ago, Rameau came up with the brilliant idea of organizing…
In the December issue of GQ magazine, our hometown boy Pitbull is the only Miamian to make the list of the “25 Least Influential People Alive.” Tim Pawlenty claimed the top spot and others on the list with less clout than the Cuban-American rapper include actress Gwenyth Patrow, deposed Egyptian dictator…
‘Twas one Friday night in January last year when the owner of Miami’s longest-running holiday festival failed miserably in his attempt to mack on a woman at a limo company. Brian Shechtman, who along with his brother has operated Santa’s Enchanted Forest since 1984, had dialed Aventura Limousine to order…
