Bell vs. Levine Cava race churns cash toward $1 mil mark

Bell vs. Levine Cava race churns cash toward $1 mil mark

Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell, in the race for her political life, raked in nearly $84,000 in campaign contributions in June — the most she’s gotten in a single 30-day period since February, the biggest month in her re-election bid, when she collected $133,000. In total, Bell now has $533,780 from her own campaign […]

Carlos Gimenez’s new bait & switch: Pay cuts to benefits

Carlos Gimenez’s new bait & switch: Pay cuts to benefits

In what can only be seen as another backpedal moment, at best, and another bait and switch, at worst, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez dropped his demand for 10 percent wage cut across the board for county employees, saying that he can balance the budget instead by reducing the workers’ healthcare benefits. There are still […]

UCSB shooting victim’s dad pushes for gun control in Florida

UCSB shooting victim’s dad pushes for gun control in Florida

By JIM TURNER of THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDATHE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, July 2, 2014 — Richard Martinez, whose 20-year-old son was killed in a shooting rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara in late May, acknowledges that calling for tougher gun-control laws in Florida isn’t easy.But as Martinez travels the country crusading for political discussion on “sensible” […]

State rolls out plan for medical pot farm ‘lottery’

State rolls out plan for medical pot farm ‘lottery’

By DARA KAM of THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, July 2, 2014 — Winners of Florida’s five, highly sought-after medical marijuana licenses could be selected through lotteries, according to a draft rule released late Wednesday by the Department of Health.The 16-page document comes in advance of an agency workshop Monday in Tallahassee that is drawing heavy attention.The draft rule, […]

David Richardson wins after GOP challenger bounces check

David Richardson wins after GOP challenger bounces check

State Rep. David Richardson (D-Miami Beach) has nothing to worry about. The Republican candidate that had filed to run against him a week before the deadline June 20, apparently did not have enough funds in her campaign account to cover the $1,781.82 qualifying fee, according to the Florida Division of Elections. Que pena! “CELEBRATION TIME,” […]

Ka-ching! Miami-Dade could spend $100 million just today

Ka-ching! Miami-Dade could spend $100 million just today

While alarms are sounding about reduced services and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez threatens to lay off up to 700 employees — including 250 police officers — to balance the $4.4 billion county operating budget, our commissioners will consider spending close to $100 million just today on everything from engineering to janitorial services to concerts to personal trainers. Can […]

Cash-strapped Miami-Dade considers $1 lease on 4 acre site

Cash-strapped Miami-Dade considers $1 lease on 4 acre site

Miami-Dade County commissioners will consider another sweetheart deal Tuesday to lease nearly four acres with a 38,000-square-foot building and a surface parking lot included — for $1 a year. This time, the land grab is not for a millionaire sports team owner. It is the City of Miami Police Department, which wants to use the property at 1701 NW 30th Ave. […]

OT abusing Sgt. gets choice post while other cops get fired

OT abusing Sgt. gets choice post while other cops get fired

The Miami-Dade Police sergeant who got caught racking up questionable overtime has not been fired and is not on the list of officers to get canned by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez‘s plan to balance the budget by firing 255 cops. He’s not even getting bumped down a notch. In fact, he was recently transferred to […]

Daniella Levine gets more support from Bell attack ad

Daniella Levine gets more support from Bell attack ad

Ladra told you it would backfire. The ridiculous attack on Miami-Dade Commission candidate Daniella Levine Cava for her $50,000-a-year job running a multi-million non-profit social service agency has really gotten more nays and shakings of the heads than concern or applause. Ladra thinks it shows a certain desperation by Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell, who […]

Miami-Dade Police cuts won’t hurt Carlos Gimenez & sons

Miami-Dade Police cuts won’t hurt Carlos Gimenez & sons

UPDATED: Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and most of his family will not feel the pain that he wants to inflict on the rest of us in the county if and when he cuts 255 officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department. Gimenez lives on the edge of Coconut Grove, across the street from Coral Gables, at […]