Julio Robaina federal trial draws few friends, supporters

Julio Robaina federal trial draws few friends, supporters

Closing arguments begin today in the trial against former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina and his wife on federal tax evasion and fraud charges. Then the jury will begin deliberations and we could have a verdict as early as Wednesday. But has Robaina already been judged by his peers? Because there has been very little if […]

Gimenez on CBS-4: Port soccer stadium site is just ‘viable’

Gimenez on CBS-4: Port soccer stadium site is just ‘viable’

In an interview with Jim DeFede that airs Sunday on Channel 4, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez calls the Port of Miami simply “a viable site” for a soccer stadium to accommodate the expansion Major League Soccer team that retired British player David Beckham wants to bring to Miami. Not the “best site.” Not even “a […]

Miami-Dade Commission not sold on port soccer stadium

Miami-Dade Commission not sold on port soccer stadium

All this hand-wringing about the possibility of a Major League Soccer stadium at the Port of Miami may be for nothing. It appears there is not enough support on the Miami-Dade Commission for the giveaway of 20 acres of land at the port to make way for the development of a 25,000-seat stadium. Miami-Dade Mayor […]

Updated: Doral’s Joe Carollo has bribery claims as he is fired

Updated: Doral’s Joe Carollo has bribery claims as he is fired

Doral City Manager Joe Carollo, who survived an attempt by Mayor Luigi Boria to oust him last October, says he will likely be out of a job Monday. The common perception is that Councilwoman Christy Fraga, who had voted against Carollo’s firing the first round in October, has changed her mind and will become the […]

Anti PortMiami soccer stadium interests launch campaign

Anti PortMiami soccer stadium interests launch campaign

Opposition to the proposed Major League Soccer stadium at the Port of Miami continues to mount despite the lack of details on the plan. On Friday, the Miami Seaport Alliance — an organization created to fight the proposal — launched a video, radio, and digital advertising campaign across Miami-Dade County to, basically, scare folks about […]

Kendall residents give Mayor Carlos Gimenez an earful

Kendall residents give Mayor Carlos Gimenez an earful

There were only 75 people or so at the Kendall Federation of Homeowners Associations meeting Thursday when Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez stopped by for a conversation. But, boy, did he get an earful. After a short, quickly forgettable back-patting speech, the mayor took questions. And one by one, residents lined up to ask questions that […]

Carlos Gimenez to face tough ‘Meet the Mayor’ crowd tonight

Carlos Gimenez to face tough ‘Meet the Mayor’ crowd tonight

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is scheduled to speak at the Kendall Federation of Homeowners Association meeting in about an hour and Ladra expects it to be quite lively. The “Meet the Mayor” event had been scheduled before news of his $121 million proposed giveaway was leaked to the press Wednesday. He wouldn’t go otherwise. He […]

In denial, Carlos Gimenez has obsession with stadiums

In denial, Carlos Gimenez has obsession with stadiums

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Not So Golden Boy” Gimenez has been described as disconnected and disingenuous. But this past week, he’s come off as downright delusional. And obsessed with stadiums. Let’s start with his April 18 interview on the Joe Rose sports radio show on 560 AM, where he basically said there was no real opposition […]

Julio Robaina’s wife: only one to stand by her man

Julio Robaina’s wife: only one to stand by her man

Former Hialeah First Lady Raiza Robaina took the stand Wednesday in the federal tax evasion trial against her and her husband, former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, and said, basically, that it was the accountant’s fault. She said the failure to disclose somewhere between $1 million and $2 million were errors or typos maybe. “Mistakes,” she […]

Liquor store owner gets it: Carlos Hernandez is a criminal

Liquor store owner gets it: Carlos Hernandez is a criminal

Robert Gewanter’s public poetry in neon hit the nail on the head. Again. The owner of M&M Liquors is already famous for the rhymes he writes on the sign outside his store on Southeast 8th Street in Hialeah. Gewanter, who has swiped at presidents and senators and world leaders from beyond, struck closer to home […]