Email Author Francisco Alvarado

Awards

• 2011 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published July 8, 2010

  "Death Row"

• 2010 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published September 3, 2009

  "On the Level"

• 2010 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published October 15, 2009

  "Work It, Jerry!"

• 2010 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published September 17, 2009

  "Baby Got Fatback!"

• 2010 - Sunshine State Awards/South Florida Society of Professional Journalists, published September 3, 2009

  "On the Level"

• 2009 - Sunshine State Awards/South Florida Society of Professional Journalists, published September 11, 2008

  "Missing Peace"

• 2009 - Sunshine State Awards/South Florida Society of Professional Journalists, published December 11, 2008

  "No Fear"

• 2009 - Education Reporting Awards/National Education Writers Association, published May 1, 2008

  "F-School Bomb"

• 2009 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published October 30, 2008

  "Voter Fraud Ahead"

• 2009 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published May 22, 2008

  "Burn, Baby, Burn"

• 2009 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published May 8, 2008

  "Killers in the Can"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published January 10, 2008

  "Wet Foot, Dusty Foot"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published October 23, 2008

  "Dead Weight"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published May 1, 2008

  "The F-School Bomb"

• 2009 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published May 1, 2008

  "The F-School Bomb"

• 2008 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published August 2, 2007

  "Bad Apple"

• 2006 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published January 27, 2005

  "Crack Kills"

More

2012 Stories by Francisco Alvarado

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  New Year Resolutions For Miami's Best and Brightest

  published Dec 31, 2012

  The world didn't end after all on December 21, so now we all gotta make amends for our bad behavior in 2012. Our New Year's resolutions last year all failed, of course, whether it was taking abuelita ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Tax Refund Scams Plagued Miami-Dade In 2012

  published Dec 31, 2012

  With another tax season descending on us, you might want to secure your W-2 or 1099 a little tighter. Over the past 12 months, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami has uncovered more than a dozen racke... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Miami-Dade Inspector General: County Built Two Projects With No Permits

  published Dec 27, 2012

  Building permitr Miami-Dade County doesn't need any stinkin' building permit!In fact, officials for the county's internal services department got away with completing two construction projects in down... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Vote For Miami's Worst Cop of 2012

  published Dec 26, 2012

  It's pretty hard to follow in the large boot steps of John Timoney, the one-time Miami police chief. In fact, ever since Miami New Times crowned Timoney "America's Worst Cop" in 2007, it's taken us fi... More >>

• Academy of Arts and Minds Hasn't Fixed Conflicts of Interest, School Board Auditor Says

  published Dec 24, 2012

  Back in June, a Miami-Dade School Board audit skewered a Coconut Grove charter school's seemingly incestuous relationship with its founder and landlord, Manuel Alonso-Poch. Seven months later, school ... More >>

• Manuel Alonso-Poch Won't Fix Conflicts of Interest at His Charter School, New Audit Finds

  published December 27, 2012

  Manuel Alonso-Poch Won't Fix Conflicts of Interest at His Charter School, New Audit Finds More >>

• Miami Political Bloggers Pick Their Favorite Posts of 2012

  published Dec 20, 2012

  Banana Republican kicked off 2012 by recognizing a local Internet cabal of rabble-rousers and muckrakers who have helped fill the investigative journalistic void in the Magic City. In a cover story ba... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Golden Beach Whistleblower Tammy Valdes And Her Husband Charged With Selling Illegal Guns

  published Dec 14, 2012

  Tammy Valdes, a former Golden Beach Police officer who recently won $233,000 in damages against the town for wrongful termination, has been criminally charged with illegal firearms dealing. Her husban... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Debbie Wasserman Schultz Blocks Miami Democratic Leader Annette Taddeo-Goldstein's Bid for State Chair

  published Dec 14, 2012

  There's a big battle brewing between the Old Guard and the New Guard for the top leadership position of Florida's Democratic Party. Several South Florida Hispanic Democrats are voicing their displeasu... More >>

• Convicted Felon Demetrio Perez Jr. Gets $110 Million in Bonds From Miami-Dade Commission

  published December 13, 2012

  Convicted Felon Demetrio Perez Jr. Gets $110 Million in Bonds From Miami-Dade Commission More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Convicted Felon Demetrio Perez Jr. Gets $110 Million In Bonds From County Commission

  published Dec 10, 2012

  You'd think that after Demetrio Perez Jr. pleaded guilty in 2002 to defrauding a trio of frail elderly tenants in his low-income Little Havana apartments, Miami-Dade politicians would steer clear of t... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Rakontur Alums Evan Rosenfeld and Jenna Moshell Tackle American Football In India

  published Dec 06, 2012

  Shortly after leaving his gig last year as producer for Miami-based documentary maker Rakontur, the company that brought the world Cocaine Cowboys and The U, Evan Rosenfeld went on a journey to the Fa... More >>

• Little Lotus In Downtown Miami Says Its Under Siege From Vindictive Landlord

  published Dec 05, 2012

  Sari Maharani had barely opened the doors to her downtown Miami restaurant Little Lotus when she says her landlord was already trying to find a way to kick her out without just cause. Now the former p... More >>

• Bruno Barreiro Wants To Use $110 Million In Bonds To Help Felonious Ex-School Board Member

  published Dec 04, 2012

  Back in 2002, Demetrio Perez Jr. had an epic fall from prominence. The then-Miami-Dade Public Schools Board Member was removed from public office following his 21-count federal indictment that he had ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones Sues Mayor Tomas Regalado and Katherine Fernandez Rundle

  published Dec 03, 2012

  Ever since she beat two separate criminal cases against her last year, Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones has been quietly preparing for an epic take down of Mayor Tomas Regalado and Miami-... More >>

• Banah Sugar Ordered To Pay $208,000 Final Judgment

  published Nov 29, 2012

  A Hialeah sugar making company owned by an ex-cocaine trafficker who wooed Hialeah and Miami-Dade elected officials into naming a street after his firm and approving $400,000 in tax breaks has been or... More >>

• Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff Facing Ethics Charge For Trip To Brazil

  published Nov 28, 2012

  The Miami-Dade Ethics Commission is accusing Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff of failing to report a pretty sweet trip to Brazil earlier this year as a gift. Back in April, the Greater Miami Conve... More >>

• DJ Laz Overcame Tragedy and Disability to Conquer Miami's Airwaves. Now He's Going National

  published Nov 27, 2012

  For this week's cover story, I profiled Lazaro Mendez, AKA DJ Laz, the booty bass pioneer and FM radio personality who provided the soundtrack to thousands of teenagers growing up in south Florida sin... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  DJ Laz Conquered Disability, Tragedy, and Miami's Airwaves; Now He's Aiming Higher

  published November 29, 2012

  DJ Laz Conquered Disability, Tragedy, and Miami's Airwaves; Now He's Aiming Higher More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Hector "Macho" Camacho Left His Mark In The Sunshine State

  published Nov 26, 2012

  It was the summer of 1991. I was a teenager hanging with my friends at Hot Wheels Skating Center in Kendall for a concert. I can't recall who was performing, but I will never forget the flamboyant, mu... More >>

• The Top Five Turkeys In Miami-Dade Politics

  published Nov 22, 2012

  As we wake up this morning in honor of the Pilgrims and Indians of yesteryore by sharing a bountiful meal with friends and relatives, Banana Republican and a few of our friends in the Miami blogospher... More >>

• Alleged Mangrove Killer John DuBois Squeaks By In Palmetto Bay Run-Off

  published Nov 21, 2012

  A millionaire accused of massacring mangroves on his property narrowly won the vice-mayor's post in yesterday's Palmetto Bay run-off. John DuBois beat Brian Pariser by 28 votes to claim the seat.Those... More >>

• Miami Heat Minority Owner Raanan Katz Scores Small Victory Over Blog Hating On Him

  published Nov 20, 2012

  On Monday, Miami Circuit Court Judge Ellen Leesfield gave Miami Heat minority owner Raanan Katz a clear path to the basket. She granted him a temporary injunction to stop a formerly anonymous blogger ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Hipster Enclave Design Place Won't Rent To African-Americans, Lawsuit Claims

  published Nov 16, 2012

  On its website, Design Place at 5175 NE Second Court is billed as the Design District's most desirable Miami condo rental community for young professionals, graduate students and small families. But a... More >>

• Norman Braman's Contributions Dried Up For the Nov. 6 County Commission Run-Offs

  published Nov 13, 2012

  After raising nearly a million bucks to unseat four Miami-Dade County Commissioners in the August 14 primary, it seems billionaire auto magnate Norman Braman threw in the towel. According to the last ... More >>