Joe Martinez

Vote No on All 12 Constitutional Amendments, the Crandon Park Tennis Center renovation, and These Guys

Election 2012: Just Vote No To These Catastrophes

When you head to the polls this week to cast a vote for the prez or to throw your weight behind Mittens, you might be surprised to find one of the longest ballots ever created. You'd never know it from the nightly news, but it turns out you'll have to decide on much more than just the presidential r ... More >>

Reader Mail: Florida Needs to Ban Red-Light Cameras

Elect Joe Martinez for Mayor and Keon Hardemon for Commission

Joe Martinez For Miami-Dade Mayor!

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke makes his picks for Miami-Dade mayor and the county's black county commission seats.With the August 14 primary election approachi ... More >>

Donald Trump Wants to Build a Mini-Hollywood Film Studio City in Homestead

It's going to be the classiest, finest film studio in all of the world. Or at least that's what Donald Trump's company seems to think.The Trump Organization has unveiled plans to incorporate an 800-acre studio city down near Homestead in the southern reaches of Miami-Dade County dubbed, what else, T ... More >>

Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Other Top Elected Officials Speak at Anti-Gay Group's Breakfast

Many believe that Carlos Gimenez's endorsement from several gay rights groups in the Miami-Dade County mayoral election helped propel him to a narrow victory over Julio Robaina. So why the hell was he speaking at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Family Coalition, a fringe organization most not ... More >>

Five Cubans Ozzie Guillen Should Praise at His Press Conference Today

Poor Ozzie Guillen. Baseball season just got started and already the Miami Marlins skipper has inserted his foot in his mouth.The controversial Venezuelan born manager had the audacity to praise Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in an upcoming issue of Time magazine and all hell has broken loose in Miami' ... More >>

Protesters Outside Marlins Park Call for Ozzie Guillen's Firing (Video)

Inside Marlins Park, Ozzie Guillen apologized for "betraying his Hispanic community," but outside the front gates, a sizable crowd of Cuban-American protesters made it clear they were in no mood to forgive or forget his statements praising Fidel Castro."We never can forgive what he said," Blanco Gar ... More >>

Letters from the issue of July 7, 2011

Miami-Dade PD could spy with gunshot detection system

"Gunshot Detection System" On Its Way to Miami-Dade, Raising Privacy Concerns

shotspotter.comA gunshot detection system like this would require sensors -- even cameras -- all over Miami neighborhoods​The gunman squeezes the trigger on his Glock. His victim slumps to the ground. And without a cop in sight, the murderer thinks he's in the clear. But the light poles are liste ... More >>

County Shutters Major Food Truck Roundup; Food Truck Listings for Tonight

Grill Master Cafe and others can't roll at T.O.W. Friday​For the past month or so, Miami food trucks have been rolling out in relative peace without incident -- until now. Ray Delgado, owner of Grill Master Cafe and organizer of T.O.W. (Truckers Out West) at Mother of Christ Church, told Sho ... More >>

Miami-Dade commissioners are rich!

Six lies about the Marlins stadium

Luther Campbell Calls For Special Election

Michael McElroy​Mayoral candidate and Miami New Times columnist Luther Campbell wants to get it on. At the ballot box. Not the champagne room. Now that voters have shown Carlos Alvarez the exit door, the onetime raunchiest man in hip-hop is calling on the County Commission to set a date for anothe ... More >>

Hialeah's Julio Robaina In Front For County Mayor, But Scandals Could Derail His Ambition

City of Hialeah​In this week's metro story, New Times explores Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina's chances to succeed his Miami-Dade County counterpart Carlos Alvarez. Talk about who will follow Alvarez has grown louder with a recall election against the county mayor to take place later this year. Count ... More >>

Commissioner Carlos Gimenez Purposely Delayed Recall Meeting

Carlos Gimenez​Today the Miami-Dade County Commission was supposed to meet to set a date for the election to recall Mayor Carlos Alvarez. Problem was only six commissioners showed up, because Commissioners apparently find it OK to act like school skipping children. Which means the commission fell ... More >>

County Commissioners Joe Martinez and Sally Heyman Want Red Light Cameras

The great money maker for cash-strapped local governments​Looking for ways to screw taxpayers even more, county commissioners Joe Martinez and Sally Heyman want to introduce red light cameras for unincorporated Miami-Dade. Several cities, including Miami Beach, Hialeah and Miami Gardens, have alre ... More >>

Miami Cabbies Don't Want to Pick Up the Tab for New Security Cameras

Kyle T. WebsterCameras could prevent crime, but cabbies say they can't afford them​Tipsy beach bunnies routinely barf in their back seats. Robbers put guns to their heads, demanding cash. Crack addicts try to beat them to death for no reason.Life is tough for Miami's 4,500 cab drivers. Now it's ge ... More >>

Commission Renames Miami-Dade "Wade County" for One Week in July

​Miami's rainmakers are stopping at nothing to keep Dwyane Wade in town. In May, the Miami Heat and a slew of corporate sponsors launched an online campaign -- wewantwade.com -- to convince the NBA MVP from fleeing to another team when he becomes a free agent in July. The website encourages reside ... More >>

Port of Miami tunnel is a waste of taxpayer money

Port of Miami Tunnel Project Could Be South Florida's Big Dig

Miami-Dade CountyTrucks waiting at the Port of Miami​Trucker Jose Martinez heads to the Port of Miami every day on his 40-foot white Freightliner. By the time he gets downtown, traffic is a breeze. "It's like going from the bed to the kitchen," he says.Twenty years ago that wouldn't have been poss ... More >>

Miami-Dade commissioners mail holiday greetings on your dime

Return to Sender: Commissioners Mail Holiday Greetings on Your Dime

Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto.​Every year, they arrive punctually on the same festive stationary, and every year, they're tossed out faster than stale fruitcake. Well, dear reader, by throwing out your commissioner's holiday newsletter, you're trashing your own cash. Each newsletter costs y ... More >>

Is Watson Island the New Overtown (With a Mega-Yacht Club)?

Miami.fly me via Flickr CC​Watson Island is the redheaded stepchild of Biscayne Bay. Star Island gets Shaquille O'Neal and Madonna. Fisher Island has its own private ferry. And poor Watson is stuck with a field of dry grass and a theme park full of restless parrots. Sure, it's home to the Japane ... More >>

The County Budget Hearings Have It Backward

For several weeks, I've been reading passionate plea emails to save the $11 million in funding for Miami-Dade cultural programming, all of them written by the heads of well-established, reputable organizations such as the Miami Art Museum, the Wolfsonian, and Vizcaya. Because the funding they r ... More >>

And a Child Shall Lead Them

Fishy Business

They gave thousands to a commissioner and then won the Marlins stadium contract.

Exclusive: Marlins Construction Group Gave Thousands to Commish Who Approved No-Bid Deal

Joe Martinez seems a forthright and resolute guy. He was the first Hispanic elected by his peers to be county commission chairman. He publicly supported the highly unpopular John McCain for president. And he pushed to strip Jose Canseco's name from a stretch of SW 16th Street after the slugger admit ... More >>

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," Sou ... More >>

Odebrecht Is Portuguese for "Big Money Donor"

For the past two days, I've noted all the work Miami-Dade County awards Brazilian engineering and construction firm Odebrecht. Despite a history of completing jobs behind schedule and over budget, the company continues to get the nod to build county-funded projects worth hundreds of millions of dol ... More >>

Jose Canseco Bashed By County Commission

Elected Officials Reward Their Campaign Contributors

Give money, get contracts.

Give Money, Get Contracts, Part III

Arsht Loves the Kids

Don’t be fooled by the stick figures; these artists have talent.

Bay of Pigs Museum the Latest to Devour Green Space

Bruno the Absent

He's not around much and he doesn't sponsor many bills, but this chairman's for you

His Satanic Majesty's Request

Close down every church so the true church can begin.

Cup and Joe

The Name Game

County commissioners named a street for a drug dealer. Then there’s this.

Miami Gun Rhapsody

Who's packing heat in the Magic City? You don't have to conceal your curiosity a second longer

In His Own Words

Commission Quest

Miami-Dade's most coveted political prize is the chairman's Throne of Power. Those who dare to seek it must navigate the Swamp of Secrecy, endure the Guild of the Greased Palm, and avoid exposure by the Orb of Light

This Week's Day by Day Picks

It's Broken, So Fix It

Corrections department investigators want an investigation -- of their department

The Thick Blue Line

Max Rameau switches gears on how to get a civilian investigative panel focused on county cops

The Hot Seat

Pepe Cancio faced big trouble on his first day as a county commissioner, but no one likes trouble

Now Entering Miriamville

Miriam Alonso may be under criminal investigation but that hasn't distracted her from creating her own city

You Are Cordially Invited

So you weren't among those lucky few who dined with the king and queen? Consider it a compliment.