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 - 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"

• 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"

• 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

2013 Stories by Francisco Alvarado

• Find Out If You Live In a Miami Danger Zone Using Crime Mapping

  published Jan 31, 2013

  While conducting research for an upcoming article, Banana Republican came across this nifty tool on the Miami-Dade County Police Department's website called "Crime Mapping." Basically you can track cr... More >>

• Design Place Addresses Some Complaints Raised in Discrimination Lawsuit

  published Jan 30, 2013

  A nonprofit organization that fights housing discrimination recently scored a partial court victory against SPV Realty, the New York-based company that owns Little Haiti apartment complex Design Place... More >>

• Disabled Miami Vet Nadia Wright Booted From Housing Program for Complaining, She Says

  published January 31, 2013

  Disabled Miami Vet Nadia Wright Booted From Housing Program for Complaining, She Says More >>

• Miami-Dade Sewer System Is Crappy, Lawsuit Alleges

  published January 31, 2013

  Miami-Dade Sewer System Is Crappy, Lawsuit Alleges More >>

• A Disabled Vet Says Complaints Got Her Booted From A Housing Program

  published Jan 28, 2013

  For Nadia Wright, a veteran suffering from anxiety, depression, and a debilitating organ condition, the cozy north Miami Beach duplex seemed like the perfect place to try to get back on her feet. So i... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Key Biscayne Woman Accuses Miami-Dade County of Infecting Her With Poop Water

  published Jan 24, 2013

  Judi Kolson used to love paddling the waters of Biscayne Bay until a recent outing allegedly gave her a leg infection after her skin came into contact with contaminated water. Now, the breast cancer s... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Dolphins Stadium Renovation: A Political Insider's Guide

  published Jan 23, 2013

  Give Stephen Ross props. He stepped up to Norman Braman one billionaire to another and slapped him across the face with a clean white glove. With a full page ad undermining Braman's credibility in Tue... More >>

• Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Lies About Stadium Upgrades

  published January 24, 2013

  Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Lies About Stadium Upgrades More >>

• Liberty City Focus of Aussie Director's Film

  published January 24, 2013

  Liberty City Focus of Aussie Director's Film More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Ex-Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez Is Totally Ripped, Wearing a Speedo UPDATED

  published Jan 22, 2013

  What happens when your political career is blown to smithereens by an angry electorate and a billionaire car dealership mogulr If you're Carlos Alvarez, the former Miami-Dade mayor who was booted from... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Barack Obama Was Not Welcome at This Miami Gun Show

  published Jan 21, 2013

  On Sunday, Banana Republican stopped by the Victor Bean's Southern Classic Gun & Knife Show at the Miami-Dade County youth fairgrounds to gauge the mood of Second Amendment acolytes in the wake of... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Australian Filmmaker Turns His Lens On Liberty City, Finds Some Crazy Characters

  published Jan 18, 2013

  A word of advice to foreign filmmakers who get hooked on Liberty City: Please stop opening your masterpieces with chintzy B-rolls of tourists frolicking on South Beach and then cutting away to bleak f... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Gardens Bulldogs Youth Football Club Overcomes The Sport's Dark Side

  published Jan 17, 2013

  For this week's cover story, I wrote about the journey of a group of 11-and-12-year-old boys playing for the 125 pound Miami Gardens Bulldogs. In 2012, the team bounced back from a season marred by a ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola Has a Beef With New Times Takedown of Manny Diaz's Book

  published Jan 16, 2013

  It appears Miami civic leader Joe Arriola wasn't too keen on how he's portrayed in my recent story about his former boss Manny Diaz's book, Miami Transformed: Rebuilding America One Neighborhood, One ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Stephen Ross' Four Biggest Lies About Sun Life Stadium Renovations

  published Jan 15, 2013

  On Monday, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross shucked his $400 million plan to renovate Sun Life Stadium, the venue the city's NFL franchise has called home for the past 26 years. During a press confer... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  Miami's Best Youth Football Team Beats Violence, Gambling, Turmoil, and Opponents

  published January 17, 2013

  Miami's Best Youth Football Team Beats Opponents, Violence, Gambling, and Turmoil More >>

• Irregardless Is a Real Word, Bro

  published Jan 10, 2013

  Bro, remember when Shit Miami Girls Say came out and Non-Miamians were super making fun of the way Miamians freaking talk, bror That shit was super annoying bro. Especially the part when one of the gi... More >>

• Toronto Sisters Say Miami Beach Cops Called Them "Dirty Canadians," Roughed Them Up

  published January 10, 2013

  During the darkest months of winter, half of Canada flees to South Florida. So you'd think police would have some respect for the... More >>

• Raining Bullets: Miamians Won't Stop Shooting Their Guns on New Year's. It Nearly Cost One Musician His Life

  published January 10, 2013

  Every year just before January 1, Miami police enlist a host of celebrities (including Pitbull this time around) to beg dumbass... More >>

• Ex-Mayor Manny Diaz's New Book Is Full of Lies

  published January 10, 2013

  On opening night of Miami Book Fair International in October, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz scored the gig of the weekend: interviewing Tom... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Beach Cops Accused of Roughing Up Toronto Sisters, Calling Them "Dirty Canadians"

  published Jan 07, 2013

  During the darkest months of winter, half of Canada flees to South Florida. So you'd think police would have some respect for the maple-syrup-guzzling visitors who fuel the local economy through sprin... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Ted Zimmerman Lives To Share His Tale of Being Shot By a NYE Falling Bullet

  published Jan 03, 2013

  A stupid gun owner almost claimed the life of a Miami musician on New Year's Eve. The falling bullet narrowly missed Ted Zimmerman's head, but he won't be playing his trumpet any time soon. The bullet... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Deni Noa Punched Woman Then Stripped Naked and Laid Down On the Road

  published Jan 02, 2013

  It was a wild New Year's Eve for Florida Keys resident Deni Noa.According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the 24-year-old Stock Island resident reached into a car and punched a woman in the eye... More >>

• Miami Beach Police Find Dead Man at Marseilles Hotel

  published Jan 02, 2013

  Nothing rings in the new year like a suspicious death in Miami Beach.According to city police spokeswoman Det. Vivian Hernandez, homicide detectives are investigating a dispute between a couple who we... More >>

• Miami's Scummiest Tax Scams of 2012: Marine-Bilkers, Football Frauds, and Laundry Cheats

  published January 3, 2013

  Miami's Scummiest Tax Scams of 2012: Marine-Bilkers, Football Frauds, and Laundry Cheats More >>