Former Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño was facing federal extortion conspiracy charges for his role in a bogus grant application scheme in which authorities say he intended to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. government in exchange for thousands of dollars in kickbacks. But Friday, Maroño — once on a rumored shortlist […]
Doral City Manager Joe Carollo might want to get a bodyguard or some protective custody from the FBI, maybe. That’s because he went on a verbal rampage Tuesday night and threw everybody under the bus in an effort to defend himself against allegations of acting unprofessionally with a business associate and friend of Mayor Luigi […]
Granted, Ladra has been accused of being slightly overly suspicious before. I haven’t met too many conspiracy theories I didn’t like. One of my favorite former senators says that I am way too jaded. But what some people call paranoid, others might call vigilant. Astute, even. So, here’s the latest conspiracy theory that occurred to […]
In what many residents saw as a return to the town’s roots, Miami Lakes founding Mayor Wayne Slaton won the whiplash election that resulted from the arrest last month of former mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi on public corruption charges. According to results released by the town clerk just moments ago, Slaton won with a large […]
More than 1,100 people have already voted in the Homestead primary as early voting opens today for the last chance to cast a ballot before Election Day Tuesday. That includes 810 absentee ballots returned as of Friday and 169 and 154 early voters casting in person on Thursday and Friday. That’s already more than the […]
Looks like the race for Miami Lakes mayor is turning out to be a vote of no confidence in former Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi, who was arrested last month on public corruption charges. The general sentiment around town — where early voting is limited to tomorrow at the Miami Lakes library and 1,073 people have […]
While all eyes are on the Miami-Dade County Commission and its budget hearing today, there will be phones ringing off the hook at the homes of voters in Miami Lakes and Homestead, where there are city elections Oct. 1. That is because absentee ballots drop for voters in both cities Tuesday and Wednesday. Miami-Dade Elections […]
There’s a crowded ballot in the race to replace suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi, who was arrested last month on charges of bribery and extortion after a two-year FBI sting in which he allegedly accepted kickbacks for facilitating a bogus grants application. But only two of the hopefuls are experienced candidates with money to […]
A couple of mailers in the lickety split Miami Lakes election are causing a little bit of tension among two one-time allies who are now running against each other in the crowded five-point race. David “Doc” Bennett has already sent out two mailers with photos of him and his family and him with two legislators […]
Can Miami Beach mayoral candidate Philip Levine speak for himself? Apparently only when lobbyist and campaign consultant David Custin gives him permission. In my attempt to talk to a political candidate as a political blogger, I tried contacting his handlers, which include Custin and attorney JC Planas, who I called after Custin threatened and insulted me. […]