It started as a bold move by a newly-elected and reform-minded city commissioner to right a terrible wrong. But the ordinance to amend regulations that allow giant LED signs in Miami has been stalled over and over. Commissioner Damian Pardo, who has also sought a temporary moratorium on any new sign permits, will try again Thursday. The ordinance was deferred twice before it passed first reading in February, after it first failed and was reconsidered. But the second reading was deferred April 11 after a last minute floor amendment was proffered by Commission Chairwoman Christine King as a sort ..read more

If there ever was a municipality that needs an independent inspector general, it is the city of Miami. One commissioner who was suspended after his September arrest on 11 felony charges, including bribery and money laundering, in connection with is vote to give away a public park. Another former commissioner is being investigated for promising a city job in exchange for an endorsement. The mayor is embroiled in an FBI investigation over other bribery allegations in “consulting” payments made by a developer who was seeking permits and concessions from the city at the time. And the city manager ..read more

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s primary just might be over before a ballot is cast. Assistant Director of Investigative Services Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz, the highest ranking county police officer on the ballot, just got the mother of all endorsements for any Republican: former President Donald Trump. Joe Sanchez, the presumed GOP frontrunner, must be crying in his cafecito. The past POTUS, who is in the middle of the first of four criminal trials, posted his thumbs up on Truth Social. “Rosanna Cordero-Stutz is running to be the next Sheriff of Miami-Dade County. After 28 years of exemplary serv ..read more

Less than two weeks after removing Miami City Attorney Vicky Mendez from her position earlier this month and demoting her to a transitional, ceremonial post, commissioners could name a permanent replacement on Thursday. And Interim City Attorney George Wysong is the recommendation from a selection committee made almost entirely of land use and zoning lobbyists. He basically already has the job. An item about the city attorney selection on the commission meeting agenda for Thursday has been withdrawn. Nothing against Wysong, who is, by all accounts, a really nice guy with a wealth of institutio ..read more

Between them, the 12 candidates for the four Miami-Dade constitutional offices on the ballot — minus the sheriff’s race — have raised more than $1 million, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. Half of that is thanks to former State Rep and former Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson, who loaned himself $250,000 for his campaign for tax collector. He raised another $80,400 and rolled $174,200 from his previous campaign coffers for a total of $504,600. He’s the only Democrat in the race, so far. Everyone else just pales in comparison. Even Hialeah Councilman Bryan Calvo, w ..read more

The second phase of The Underline, a 10-mile linear park from Brickell to Dadeland along the Metrorail tracks, has been completed and will be unveiled at a special ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday that’s going to be packed with perky politicos posing for pictures to post on their social platforms. Phase 2 is a 2.14-mile segment that connects SW 13th Street to SW 19th Avenue, with three main hubs to concentrate amenities: the Simpson Park Playground Area, Vizcaya Station Plaza and the 17th Avenue Plaza. Construction began in the Fall of 2021 with three “key drivers” in mind: safe multi-modal t ..read more

Billy Corben vs. ‘Shev’ Jones means nobody loses No, it’s not a joke. It’s not a gimmick for his podcast or a campaign stunt against Gov. Ron DeSantis. Billy Corben, the award-winning documentary filmmaker who is also a potent activist — especially in the city of Miami — and an acerbic observer and commentator on South Florida Politics, is really running to become the next chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, which is one of his favorite targets. Is he going to start blasting himself? Ladra wouldn’t put it past him. Corben may not seem at first blush like a likely candidate for leader ..read more

Residents can’t call board members, but lobbyist can Miami-Dade Commissioners deadlocked last week on a vote to deny a requested land use and zoning change for an assisted living facility to be built on a vacant lot in Killian where there are 12 duplexes currently approved. With two commissioners absent and Commissioner JC Bermudez recusing himself, the vote ended 5 to 5. Then they deadlocked on a vote to approve it. The item should have died right there, sending the developer and his team back to the drawing board to start anew. But after the two tie votes, Commissioner Rene Garcia made a mo ..read more

DEVELOPING BREAKING STORY: Christi Tasker, a two-time candidate for Miami Commission in District 2, was arrested last week after she allegedly interrupted a police traffic stop in her Brickell neighborhood. A video taken by an anonymous passerby shows she was forcibly taken to the ground before she was handcuffed. At one point, it looks like an officer placed a foot or a knee on her back. This incident may become a problem for police, who look like they may have overreached. Tasker, 48, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence. She screamed “Help me,” as she wa ..read more

The first Coral Gables commission meeting Tuesday after the required recall petitions for Mayor Vince Lago were submitted last week was long and a bit awkward for everybody. Ladra cringed a few times. Lago said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating the recall effort and accused the new three amigos — Commissioners Melissa Castro, Ariel Fernandez and Kirk Menendez — of plotting against him to help the recall, which is being led by his old friend and the trio’s ally, activist Maria Cruz. He crowed about the internal purchace-card audit that, he said, showed no real inapprop ..read more