Miami is a fast paced community with a rapid fire news cycle. Our blog keeps you current on the most important issues affecting the tax payers of Miami-Dade county. Read, share, comment, and as always let us know what topics you want us to tackle.
US Supreme Court says city of Miami can use its redistricting map for election
Another lawsuit is filed by a candidate in District 1
Three candidates run in special election for House District 118 in Kendall
There will be no primary as three candidates — a Republican, a Democrat and an independent — qualified to run in the special election for House seat 118, vacated when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Juan Fernandez-Barquin as Miami-Dade clerk and comptroller.
First time candidate Mike Redondo, a Republican personal injury attorney, and perennial candidate Johnny Farias, a Democrat electrician and former community councilman, will duke it out with independent Francisco “Frank” de la Paz. It is somewhat of a swing seat. The predominantly Hispanic district, previously held by Democrat Robert Asencio, is a narrow sliver of Miami-Dade County west of the Florida Turnpike, including Goulds, Kendall, Sunset, and South Miami Heights.
Miami Commissioner ADLP gets yet another delay on foreclosure auction
After several cancellations, the foreclosed Little Havana house owned by Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla — you know, the one he supposedly doesn’t live in because it’s outside his district — has been set for auction in November.
Unless he gets another last minute reprieve. Again.
New Florida law gives us less campaign finance reporting, less transparency
August 10th came and went and there were no campaign finance reports filed in Florida for state candidates. Or for county candidates. Or for city candidates.
Did anybody else notice this had happened?
Public meetings on Miami-Dade budget start this week = too late for real input?
The public will have six opportunities this week to hear details about the proposed $11 billion, 2023-24 Miami-Dade budget — which includes a proposed $36 annual garbage fee increase — beginning Wednesday in North Dade.
But will they have a chance to make any meaningful input? That is the real question. Are these just futile exercises for the sake of optics? To make it seem like a participatory process?
Community News lands breakfast event with POTUS wannabe Chris Christie
The breakfasts in South Miami have become a political staple. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been to the CasaCuba events hosted by Community News twice. Former Congressman Charlie Crist swung by last year. Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez was the last speaker.
They’ve had former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, former Miami Herald Publisher David Lawrence, who now leads The Children’s Trust, and new Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega.
Animal advocates protest shelter conditions, use of old ‘house of horrors’
The rate at which pets are being abandoned has grown and Miami-Dade Animal Services ran out of space at their spanking new, $15-million adoption center shelter in Doral. So, they are keeping some dogs and cats at the old shelter in Medley and animal advocates worry about horrible conditions.
After all, this is the worn out, grossly “sick” building, the “house of horrors” for both the animals and staff, that had to be replaced pronto.
Judge strikes down Florida lobbying ban as unconstitutional and ‘overbroad’
Elected officials, you are now free to lobby again.
A U.S. district judge issued an order Wednesday that strikes down the state’s lobbying amendment, passed by voters in 2018, which bans any elected official from any kind of lobbying during their term of office and for six years after because, she said, it was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech.
Miami Beach has lots of streets named for men; only one named for a woman
Miami Beach resident Lynette Long, a former university professor who has authored more than 30 books, recently took a drive through the city and noted all the ceremonially co-designated streets, which are named to honor someone for something. What she found was an astonishing gap.
There are at least 18 streets that are co-designated for men and only one street that is co-designated for a woman, Barbara Capitman. While Capitman deserves it for her work creating the Miami Design Preservation League and her efforts to preserve the Art Deco district, she is not alone.
Miami Beach mayoral Michaels race could be a real drag out, knock out show
Former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Góngora has waited. And waited. And waited.
Góngora has skipped several elections, waiting to run for mayor when he felt he had a better chance. Not against Philip Levine. Not against Dan Gelber, who is finally termed-out. But certainly now in the open seat.
