Subject: Carlos Alvarez

• Carlos "El Fuerte" Alvarez

  January 24, 2007

• "Another Embarrassment for Miami-Dade County"

  January 23, 2007

• Alvarez vs. Seijas vs. Traffic

  December 1, 2006

• In Carlos We Trust, Really

  May 6, 2008

• Give Money, Get Contracts

  July 2, 2008

• Bilo, Borat's Bro, For Strong Mayor

  July 14, 2008

• Helen Williams Probably Won't Be Our Next Mayor

  August 26, 2008

• Childrens Trust Vote Stinks. Tropical Park Plan, Too.

  August 27, 2008

• News Roundup

  Someone pinch me. Is this really happening? The Dolphins came back from a half-time deficit to eek out a win over the Chiefs in the coldest game in franchise history. [NFL]Even better, the Jets crashed to the lousy Seahawks. The Fins will still have to beat the Jets for a playoff birth next week, but momentum is now definitely on their side. [ESPN]Mayor Carlos Alvarez's son was released from jail in October, after serving 13 1/2 years for various sexual crimes. He lives a cou

  December 22, 2008

• Esto solo pasa en Meeyami

  Today, the last day of 2008, Banana Republican highlights his ten favorite news stories of the year, the tales that truly capture life in a sun-drenched, third-world dimension. 10. Marc Sarnoff's Memo to Himself. The Coconut Grove loving city commissioner has a super secret meeting with Joe Arriola at which time the former city manager informs Sarnoff that another city commissioner, Michelle Spence-Jones, is shaking down developers. After the clandestine encounter, Sarnoff jots down the detai

  December 31, 2008

• Stadium Approved, Good Friggin' Riddance

  My favorite moment in yesterday's nine-hour discussion of the new $2 billion Marlins Stadium came at 9:27 p.m., when Commissioner "Space Cowboy" Javier Souto began defending himself from concerns that Mayor Carlos Alvarez runs him like an Italian train: "My vote is not for sale, rent, or lease," Souto said. "Whichever way I vote tonight, it's not because anybody told me anything."He said this as a server dressed in a wacky rainbow-colored shirt walked the dais carrying a tray of Cuban coffee. I

  March 24, 2009

• Holiday Shopping for Big Shots

  Gift ideas for Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter, Mayor Carlos Alvarez, and Related Group chairman Jorge Perez.

  December 25, 2008

• Elected Officials Reward Their Campaign Contributors

  Give money, get contracts.

  July 31, 2008

• In Carlos, We Trust

  May 15, 2008

• America, the Test

  January 18, 2007

• Lincoln-Douglas It Wasn’t

  January 11, 2007

• Wicked

  December 14, 2006

• The Toxic Pharmacy

  September 15, 2005

• Letters from the Issue of July 7, 2005

  July 7, 2005

• Double Speak

  June 16, 2005

• Acute Democratitis

  May 19, 2005

• BEST SPANISH-LANGUAGE RADIO PERSONALITY

  May 12, 2005

• The Bitch

  April 28, 2005

• The Fidel Factor

  December 23, 2004

• Commission Quest

  November 25, 2004

• Trouble at Home

  November 18, 2004

• Carlos Alvarez's Sexual Problem

  October 28, 2004

• The Bitch

  October 28, 2004

• Letters from the Issue of October 14-20,2004

  October 14, 2004

• Dissent Within the Ranks

  September 30, 2004

• The Million-Dollar Question

  September 16, 2004

• MAYOR X

  August 19, 2004

• High & Mighty

  July 15, 2004

• Who's that Man Behind the Badge?

  March 4, 2004

• Public War, Private Fight

  January 15, 2004

• Letters to the Editor

  February 21, 2002

• News Roundup

  Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez might have to increase property taxes to bolster the county's budget. [CBS4]Swine flu claimed a sixth life in Miami-Dade, a 53-year-old woman. There are now 716 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in the county. [NBCMiami]Jim DeFede is none too pleased with Cindy Lederman's demotion. [CBS4]It is wonderful that people with HIV can now worry about going bald. It is pretty terrible that a hair transplant clinic is refusing to treat them. [NBCMiami]The man killed by pol

  July 15, 2009

• News Roundup

  County Mayor Carlos Alvarez is now proposing sweeping pay cuts for municipal workers. [Herald]Marco Rubio finds it just hurtful and disrespectful when you whisper things about him behind is back ...like that he may drop out of the senate race and run for AG. [NakedPolitics]West 8 has officially been accepted as the design firm replacing Frank Gehry on that Miami Beach park project. [Herald]The Miami Heat Dancers are holding auditions. You know I'm working on my coochie up'n'downs as we speak. &n

  July 16, 2009

• News Roundup

  Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez has picked a real joker to run the housing agency. Seriously, he's a part-time stand-up comedian, but he used to do the same job in San Fran, so he's qualified to run a housing agency. [Herald]Another weird FCAT tale: A school that specializes in teaching critically ill children keeps getting Fs on the FCAT, so the school board wants to close it. [Herald]An elderly man crashed into a Miami Beach cop car and died. [NBCMiami]Remember that grandmother in North Mia

  July 21, 2009

• When Is It OK to Hire the Mayor's Campaign Manager?

  So let's say you run a foreign company that wants to win a lucrative multi-million dollar contract at Miami International Airport. As you prepare for your entry into the American market, you realize you need an accountant to help you figure out how to pay taxes to Uncle Sam. And then you hire one who just happens to be best buds with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez. What a coincidence, right? The Spanish firm Sinapsis Trading did absolutely nothing wrong this past May when it retained Coral Ga

  July 27, 2009

• The Mayor's Little Helper

  July 30, 2009

• Most County Executives Safe from Budget Cuts

  Alex Izaguirre​UPDATE: Earlier this week, Miami-Dade County spokeswoman Vicki Mallette responded to my earlier report regarding executive salaries. I apologize to my readers for not posting her response sooner.She insisted that Alvarez is proposing in the budget a ten percent reduction to the county executive offices, which is not reflected in this post."Your recent column seems to suggest all of the cuts have been identified," she says. "This is not the case. Rest assured, more cuts are comin

  August 14, 2009

• Big Money on Top at Miami-Dade County Hall

  August 13, 2009

• County Execs Drive Expen$ive Car$ on the Taxpayers' Dime

  ​The more Riptide dissects Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez's proposed budget cuts in order to make up a $427 million shortfall, the more we realize el alcalde fuerte is not gonna mess with his executive staff's perks. The mayor's spokeswoman, Vicki Mallette, confirmed Alvarez will not ax the approximately $101,200 a year the county sets aside for car allowances used by him, County Manager George Burgess, his assistant county managers, the assistants to the county manager, the special as

  August 17, 2009

• Homestead's Farm Share In Pictures

  Jacob KatelFarm Share clients​Farm Share is a non-profit organization that provides food directly to 6,500 families a month. They also work with 250 agencies to distribute fresh produce, donated goods, and USDA commodities to people all over Florida. Mayor Carlos Alvarez's budget proposal for 2009/10 eliminates funding for all Community Based Organizations. Mayor Carlos Alvarez's budget calls for the elimination of an established, efficient system for the distribution of surplus food to people

  August 20, 2009

• Ridin' Dirty

  August 20, 2009

• Carlos Alvarez Won't You Please Be My Facebook Pal?

  Alex Izaguirre​ Kudos to Miami Herald reporters Matt Haggman and Scott Dolan who today whacked Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez really good. Turns out our dear alcalde fuerte was doling out raises to his favored employees while he takes the axe to the rest of the county budget. Of course, don't forget yours truly was the first to expose the largesse in the mayor's and county manager's offices. Anyway, the Herald's report has Alvarez's flak Vicki Mallette defending her 54 percent pay raise over

  August 23, 2009

• Time: Miami-Dade County Commission is "a Feckless, Corruption-Tainted Body"

  via MiamiDade.gov​The sun still shines. The beaches are still some of the best in the world. The weather, unfortunate for this time of year, is still the same as it ever was. All of those stereotypical things that draw people to call Florida home have gone more or less unchanged, so what's to blame for the first population decrease since World War II? Time magazine thinks it's the mismanagement of state and local elected officials that have led to unnecessary extra tax hikes. And guess wh

  September 3, 2009

• Millions in Car Allowances and Other Perks Safe From Budget Cuts

  Alex Izaguirre​Tomorrow evening, Miami-Dade County Commissioners will finally set the budget for the upcoming year. We already know that Mayor Carlos Alvarez is proposing some seriously draconian cuts and will make good on his promise to lay of 1,700 employees, which does not bode well for south Florida, where the unemployment rate has soared past ten percent and where we are still seeing a record number of foreclosures take place.And to further close the gap on a $444 million shortfall, the m

  September 16, 2009

• Mayor Carlos Alvarez Introduces 'Redland Raised' Brand, Gives His Publix Some Love

  Photo by Paula NiñoThe Redland Raised logo.​Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez loves his Publix. And its store manager, John Navarro, too. "Johnny...I'm giving you a plug, your bosses are here. Best manager Publix has," Alvarez said of Navarro addressing media, Publix employees, and producers during the launch of Redland Raised -- a branding campaign to promote local produce.  A beaming Navarro told Short Order that his Westchester store (7805 SW 40 St.), was chosen for the launch b

  October 30, 2009