All over Facebook, Twitter, television newscasts, and radio broadcasts, reporters and ordinary folks have been encouraging relatives, friends and anyone who cares to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake fund, the humanitarian relief effort spearheaded by the non-profit organization founded by Haitian-American entertainer and part-time Miami resident Wyclef Jean.According…
Every night, before he goes to sleep, Hank Adorno must get on his knees, fold his hands, and thank Papa Dios he hasn’t lost his license to practice law.Last year, the Florida Bar found that the civil attorney and prominent Miami citizen violated nine bar rules when he orchestrated a $7…
Even before she was arrested and suspended from office this past November 13, Michelle Spence-Jones let everyone know she would not go out without a fight. No one has forgotten how she proclaimed during her swearing-in ceremony that “they don’t know this nappy-headed child of God has her armor on.” Where…
In case you haven’t heard, tonight marks the first (((SHAKE))) of 2010 at the Vagabond. And it’s gonna be one helluva a party as pioneering Miami DJ Tom Laroc celebrates his 40th birthday with the Shake nation. A renaissance man whose skills on wax are only surpassed by his prowess in…
Miami City Commission candidate Mike Suarez claims two city workers stumped on the clock for his opponent
An election in Allapattah means accusations of monkey business abound.Mike Suarez, one of nine candidates in a winner-take-all special election January 12 to replace former City of Miami Commissioner Angel Gonzalez, claims two city workers broke election laws while campaigning for frontrunner Wilfredo “Willy” Gort over the Christmas holiday.”It’s an…
During the ’90s and early part of the decade, Stafford played a prominent role in South Beach clubland, manning the velvet ropes to the only parties that mattered.When it came to being a club doorman, Stafford set the standard. In a 2004 New York Times article, he summed up his…
Firearms and a parrot stolen from a South Beach apartment
Golden Beach Mayor Glenn Singer says he has no intention of dumping town manager Alexander Diaz, who was recently arrested in Miami Beach for driving under the influence of alcohol. At least not until Singer gets back from vacation next week. “I don’t have all the facts yet,” Singer told Banana Republican…
Golden Beach Town Manager Alexander Diaz was a very naughty boy this past December 25. Miami Beach police officers arrested the 31-year-old small city bureaucrat for driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the arrest report, Diaz attempted to drive off in his gray BMW SUV after informing one…
Last night, Banana Republican settled into bed with a nice cup of eggnog and holiday gingerbread cookies while indulging in one of my favorite past times — cracking up at the expense of the rubes who end up on the Epic Fail blog. I came across this early Christmas present for…
Miami’s Planning Advisory Board member Paul Mann is calling out the city commission. This past December 17, commissioners Frank Carrollo, Marc Sarnoff and Francis Suarez signed off on a plan to convert vacant city-owned park land at NW 14th Ave and 61st Street into residential units.The property is next door…
Blemished Miami-Dade schools bureaucrat Ronda Vangates runs for school board
Miami-Dade firefighters’ union threatens to kick Chief Herminio Lorenzo out of a building it doesn’t own
Ronda Vangates was once caught up in one of the worst scandals of Rudy Crew’s tenure as Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent. Today, the 38-year-old school district bureaucrat is the anointed successor to board member Solomon Stinson, who has decided not to run for re-election. That’s politics in the nation’s…
The incoming president of the county firefighters union, Dominick Barbera, is demonstrating a terrible lack of ethics in his personal feud with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Herminio Lorenzo. This past December 9, sent Lorenzo an audaciously snarky letter mocking the chief’s proposal to require all county firefighters to report traffic…
With less than a month to go in Miami’s upcoming special election for the two city commission seats left open by the removal Michelle Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez, some of the candidates are relying on their own cash rather than hitting up people for campaign contributions.Miguel Gabela and Waldo Faura…
Milton Hirsch removes backers in search of judge’s seat
Recently dismissed ethics complaints against three lobbyists provide a glimpse into how developers will pay off so-called community activists to win support for their projects.In finding that zoning lawyers Juan Mayol, Joseph Goldstein, and Richard Perez did in fact register to lobby on behalf of their client Q2 — a group…
Milton Hirsch will take Barbara Carey-Shuler’s money, but he’ll hold off on her endorsement. And the 2010 Miami-Dade judicial candidate doesn’t want Angel Gonzalez giving him the thumbs-up either.Hirsch removed their names from the official endorsement list on his campaign website, electmiltonhirsch.com, on November 27, days after two Miami city commissioners…
A Miami-Dade jury has convicted Liberty City pastor Gaston Smith on one count of grand theft for looting more than $10,000 in grant money intended to help the poor.Yesterday, Banana Republican caught the tail end of closing arguments by Smith’s defense lawyer Larry Handfield and prosecutor Richard Scruggs. Both lawyers…
Click here to view photos from this event.Last night, Rakontur debuted an extended version of its upcoming ESPN documentary The U inside Overtown’s historic Lyric Theater. Among the local celebrities in attendance were former University of Miami football players Melvin Bratton, brothers Brian and Bennie Blades, Kelvin Harris, and Randall Hill,…
