A $4 million damage repair job at the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center, done with county funds, was awarded to a Fort Lauderdale-based construction company without competitive bidding, without negotiations, without any public input — pretty much under the radar. And it went to the company that employs Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez‘s son. No, not […]
Add another potential name to the already crowded Republican primary ballot in Congressional District 26. A push poll over the weekend put Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro in the mix and, while some people might think that is laughable, Barreiro has set his eyes on Congress before. “Would you vote for Bruno Barreiro if you knew […]
As I watched the Miami-Dade Commission meeting Wednesday, it sort of struck Ladra that while “we haven’t recovered completely” from the economic downturn, as Mayor Carlos Gimenez and our commissioners love to say, our county is certainly doing its part to help by being a great and avid consumer. County commissioners spent more than $60 […]
An attempt to ground the long-delayed Airport City project at Miami International Airport failed Wednesday after commissioners tied in a vote that asked the administration to come up with a list of alternative uses in 60 days. But the true, deep, dark motivation for the motion — made by Commission Esteban Bovo, who originally wanted […]
Miami-Dade Commissioners are expected to ask Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Aviation Director Emilio Gonzalez on Wednesday to take a new, fresh look at the much-ballyhooed and delayed Airport City project at Miami International Airport and come back in 60 days with a recommendation for the best use of the property. Some observers think it’s really […]
From galas to stadiums to breakfasts to parks, Miami-Dade’s electeds were all over the place last week. This past couple of weekends seemed particularly busy. The always gorgeous Aventura Councilwoman Luz Weinberg glammed it up at the Voice for Children gala Saturday nigh at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and smiled for the camera with Judge […]
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez doesn’t only have his much-talked about five deputy mayors who, combined, make more than $1 million a year. He’s also got 12 aides, six secretaries, three assistants, three media people and one senior advisor who I think is now his chief of staff. Oh, and two student interns. No wonder Gimenez has […]
Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo may boast having former Education Secretary Bill Bennett — um, who? — and Miami Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart — um, yawn — at a fundraiser later this month for his Congressional bid. So what? Congressman Joe Garcia, whose seat Curbelo hopes to steal this year, has U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, […]
While three Republican hopefuls — okay, five, but really only three — are vying for the chance to run against U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia in November, the longtime Congressman that Garcia toppled in 2012 to get there is not necessarily completely out of the picture. Ladra don’t call him King David “Nine Lives” Rivera for […]
Well, soccer star David Beckham finally found a Tallahassee champion to drive the ball upfield for his Major League Soccer stadium in Miami — and it is State Rep. Erik Fresen (R-Coral Gables). Only a day or two ago, it looked like there was no appetite in the state capital for yet another stadium tax […]