Luis Garcia

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

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 three financial reports for his political action committee Change Miami Dade Now, Braman only chippe ... More >>

Bruno Barreiro Holds Fundraiser In Norman Braman's Neighborhood

A county commissioner targeted for termination by Norman Braman is taking the fight to the billionaire activist's home turf. Tonight, Indian Creek residents Carlos Peralta Quintero and his wife will hold a fundraiser for Bruno Barreiro at their three-acre, 13-bedroom, ten-bathroom waterfro ... More >>

Bruno Barreiro Will Head Into Commission Run-Off Against Luis Garcia

Well, Norman Braman's quest to unseat incumbent Miami-Dade County Commissioners was far from a smashing success, but one of his candidates will live to see another electoral day. Incumbent Bruno Barreiro barely missed the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff by just nine votes. So now he'll face o ... More >>

Incumbent County Commissioners Demolish Norman Braman's Slate UPDATED

Norman Braman was no match for the forces backing Miami-Dade County commissioners Bruno Barreiro, Audrey Edmonson, Barbara Jordan, and Dennis Moss. The billionaire car dealership mogul's slate of Luis Garcia, Alison Austin, Shirley Gibson and Alice Pena produced an epic fail. All four candidates, wh ... More >>

Miami-Dade Election Results Liveblog: Pit Bulls, Primaries, and County Hall

Miami-Dade voters went to the polls today to vote on a long ballot filled with primary battles for both federal and state level legislative races, and the first (and in some cases, possibly final) rounds of the county mayor race, and several county commission seats. Longtime Miami-Dade State Attorne ... More >>

Norman Braman Backlash Begins With County Unions Protest Today UPDATE

The counterattack against Norman Braman's plan to unseat four Miami-Dade County Commissioners begins this afternoon. A group called South Florida Jobs with Justice, a coalition of labor, community, and faith-based organizations, is going to hold a protest at the auto magnate's luxury car dealership ... More >>

Bruno Barreiro Spent Thousands in Campaign Cash on Apple Computers

Bruno Barreiro Loves Going to the Apple Store With Campaign Funds

Like a lot of Apple fanboys, county Commissioner Bruno Barreiro recently spent big at the silicon superstore -- nabbing $6,583 worth of electronics at the Lincoln Road and Dadeland Mall outlets. He also reimbursed himself $4,166 for a computer.He didn't spend his own money on the gadgets; he dipped ... More >>

Gloria Romero Roses, Random Person, to Run Against David Rivera as Democrat

Democrats have finally found a candidate to take on vulnerable Republican incumbent congressman David Rivera. Her name is Gloria Romero Roses. She has no electoral experience, no name recognition, and doesn't even live close to the district. Oh boy.

Luis Garcia Pulls out of David Rivera Race, and Now Dems Have No Candidate

Rep. David Rivera is one of the most vulnerable Republican congressman in the entire country. He's under numerous criminal investigations, and his seat in District 25 is quickly seeing its Republican voter advantage fade. It could be a slam dunk for Democrats, assuming, of course, they had anyone to ... More >>

Rep. Luis Garcia Lashes Out at Debbie Wasserman Schultz After Alex Penelas Buzz Emerges

So, state Rep. Luis Garcia was the Democrat who was supposed to take on scandal plagued Rep. David Rivera in November. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, buzz emerged that former Miami-Dade mayor Alex Penelas, also a Dem, was mulling entering the race (he's talking publicly about it now, but ... More >>

Former Mayor Alex Penelas Could Enter Race to Take on Rep. David Rivera

​Scandal-plagued freshman Rep. David Rivera is considered one of the most vulnerable Republican congressmen in the nation. Former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas was once an ambitious politician who seemed to have a bright future, but was marred by his controversial role in the 2000 presidentia ... More >>

Newt Gingrich's failed Florida campaign

David Rivera Accused of Abusing Congressional Privilege With Medicare Mailer

Rivera's taxpayer funded flier​One of the perks in Congress is the right of "franking" -- no, it has nothing to do with Barney Frank, tequila shots and a dark alley. It's the ancient right to send constituents heaps of unwanted glossy fliers plastered with your grinning face at taxpayer expense. F ... More >>

Republican State Senator: Some Hispanics "Really Have No Business Voting Anyhow"

Rep. Alan Hays​Florida will add two new congressional districts in 2012, and the Senate Reapportionment Committee is meeting to determine where to place those districts. One of the leading plans includes carving out a new district in Orange, Osceola and Polk counties that would create a strongly H ... More >>

State Rep. Luis Garcia To Make Congressional Run Official This Morning

​A rumored Democratic challenger to scandal plagued U.S. Congressman David Rivera is expected to make it official at a press conference this morning. State Rep. Luis Garcia has invited the local media to join him at Tamiami Park at 10 a.m. for "an important announcement." We're betting Garcia, a f ... More >>

Florida State Rep. Luis Garcia Rumored to Challenge David Rivera in 2012

​Considering Rep. David Rivera is under numerous investigations for scandals that, in the grand scheme of things, are far more serious than sending pictures of your junk to ladies on Twitter, it was a given that the Democrats would run a serious campaign against him in 2012. Now it appears the Dem ... More >>

Kids claim abuse and violence at juvenile lockup Thompson Academy

Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee Hearts Garcia's

Photo by Riki AltmanSweet eats in Sun Life's Suite 323.This is a continuation of yesterday's interview with Luis Garcia. You can read the first part here.Who are your diners?Mondays to Fridays we have a certain crowd for lunch. I can tell you who is coming in. I have three lunches: nurses and secret ... More >>

Garcia's: The Family, The Business, and... the Dolphins?

Photo by Riki AltmanLuis Garcia has his claws deep in the family business.​Garcia's is more than just a quarter-of-a-century old restaurant. It's a multifaceted story incorporating a family legacy, a wholesale business, a market, and occasionally, Suite 323 at Sun Life Stadium. Huh? Yep, feeding t ... More >>

Eat Horse Meat, Spend a Year in a Florida Jail (Updated)

​Last year, somebody killed and ate Ivonne Rodriguez's quarter horse, Geronimo. If that somebody tries the same thing next year, he will likely spend at least a year in jail and pay a $3,500 fine. The Florida House of Representatives is poised to pass a bill making it a felony to traffic in i ... More >>

Florida Law Means A Year in Jail for Eating Horse Meat

​Last year, somebody killed and ate Ivonne Rodriguez's dappled quarter horse, Geronimo. If that somebody tries the same thing next year, he will likely spend at least a year in jail and pay a $3500 fine. The Florida House of Representatives is poised to pass a bill making it a felony to traffic in ... More >>

More Gerald Posner Plagiarism in Miami Babylon, From New Times, PBS, and Many Others

Back on March 16, Riptide broke the news that South Beach-based author Gerald Posner's latest book, Miami Babylon, had stolen eight passages from Frank Owen's 2003 work Clubland. photo by Bill Cooke New Times and a doctoral student have found more than a dozen new instances of plagi ... More >>

A pile of foreclosure papers threatens to topple a downtown Miami courthouse

"It's Going to Blow!": Miami-Dade's Leaning Tower of Debt Haunts Clerks' Dreams

There was a time -- say, last summer -- when no clerk wanted to enter a certain room on the 15th floor of 140 W. Flagler St., a drab Miami-Dade County municipal building downtown. Inside lurked a multiton beast made of dead trees: the collection of pending foreclosure case files for the county. Si ... More >>

Miami Loses

Residents passed the amendment to ban gay marriage.

Miami Loses

Of course, Tuesday's presidential result made history. And we celebrated. But all is not well.

Democrat Luis Garcia Fights to Keep Seat in Florida House

His opponent, county lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez, has outraised him $300,000 to $150,000.

End of the Diaz-Balart Dynasty

The Republican brothers are headed for defeat, and Cuban-American politics will change forever.

Political Contracting 101

Miami: Screwed Again

The legislature helped taxpayers, but not in the Magic City

Listen Up, McClatchy

The most-honored Spanish newspaper in the United States is ethically challenged

Hurricane Voyeurism

Wilma brought frustration, accidents, romance, anger, substance abuse, and reflection

A Course of Course!

Which patch of green grass has Miami Beach bluebloods brandishing machetes and clubs?

Some Friendly

Amika's opening was not Shaq-adelic

Party Poopers

Clubland comes under siege at city hall

The Horror, the Horror

A frightful journey into the art of darkness

Welcome to Fabulous Tallahassee

Where your humble state legislators work hard by day and play hard by night

Art Listings

Beating Whitey

Developer Donahue Peebles is as handsome, smooth, articulate, & nasty as he needs to be

Letters from the Issue of January 3, 2002

Nut Case #5: And thanks for reminding me why I left Miami

Trial by Strat

Machete hangs on through all the indie hassles

Paradise Lost, Again

As Miami Beach prepares for life in wartime, it's on its own

Viewing Options

This year's Fort Lauderdale Film Festival kicks off with a week on South Beach

Riptide

Castigating Couch, heralding SAVE Dade, and foot dragging on the River

You Can't Take It with You

These days it's tough even to make a claim on the properties you left behind in Cuba

Crime & Nourishment

In Miami breaking bread has become an intricate part of breaking the law

No Room at the Inn

If you don't have a roof over your head before a hurricane, don't expect one during a hurricane, either