Michael Miller

Reader Mail: Kiera Wilmot Is a Victim of Racism

Reader Mail: Don't Let Downtown Clubs Ruin Wynwood

MEDA Responds to New Times Article on Wynwood Crackdown: "Compliance With the Law Is Not Optional"

On Tuesday, New Times reported the backstory behind the recent police and code enforcement crackdown in Wynwood, which has led bar owners to suspect that Operation Dry Hour is more about downtown clubs stifling competition than about safety. When we looked into the allegations, we found that do ... More >>

Puerto Rico Violence Calls Into Question America's War on Drugs

For this week's cover story on the soaring murder rate in Puerto Rico, I spent five days on the island. I visited crime scenes still wet with blood, picked up AK-47 shells sprayed around neighborhoods like confetti, and interviewed terrified locals.But at the heart of the Caribbean commonwealth's ki ... More >>

Venezuelans Celebrate in Doral Following Death of Hugo Chavez

Venezuelans partied late into the night in Doral following yesterday's announcement that Hugo Chávez had died from cancer. Restaurant El Arepazo II, on the corner of NW 39th Street and 79th Avenue, was swarmed with more than 300 people waving flags, eating arepas, and sipping Polar.But nearly all t ... More >>

Reader Mail: Miami Beach Corruption Starts at the Top

Miami New Times Best Investigations of 2012: A Wrongly Charged Boxer, Corrupt Mayors and Bogus Pot Busts

Here at Riptide we do plenty of joking about mugshots and celebrating the sheer insanity that is life in the Sunshine State. But Miami New Times' staff writers also spend months investigating the kinds of stories that daily newspapers just don't have the time or resources to focus on any more.In 201 ... More >>

John McAfee's South Beach Afternoon: Sushi, Ice Cream and Chaos (Photos and Video)

John McAfee, the software guru who fled Belize over questions about his neighbor's murder, met a gaggle of press outside his South Beach hotel this morning to answer questions about the case and his life on the lam. Then he jumped into a cab with a Miami Herald reporter and Miami New Times staff wri ... More >>

The Sun Sentinel Ripped Off Our Calder Investigation

Horse racing is called the sport of kings, but there ain't much regal about its South Florida incarnation. Cheating and corruption are rampant at local spots like Calder Race Course. Apparently, this chicanery is now spreading beyond horse racing and seeping into coverage of the sport. Last Saturday ... More >>

New Times Takes a $2.5 Million Bugatti Veyron Vitesse for a Spin (and a Burrito)

"Have you ever wrecked one of these?" I ask as our burnt-orange Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse bursts onto the Julia Tuttle Causeway. Butch Leitzinger shakes his head. The mild-mannered man is Bugatti's official driver, but a better title would be "pilot." With a top speed of 260 mph, the Veyron ... More >>

Election Night In Little Havana: Anger at Versailles Cafe, Elation at Obama HQ

As Florida vote counting goes to the wire tonight, what is clear is that this state -- and this city -- remains bitterly divided.That divide was apparent at two locations just blocks apart in Little Havana: there was elation at Obama campaign headquarters on SW 1st Street as a small band of voluntee ... More >>

Marijuana Didn't Make the Face-Eater Go Nuts

Reader Mail: New Times, Not Calder, Is Killing Horses

Reader Mail: Florida Needs to Ban Red-Light Cameras

Reader Mail: Dr. Schnoz Is a Gifted Surgeon

Obama in Miami Beach: Gives Props to Heat, Takes Shots at Romney

Barack Obama swept into town last night in full campaign mode. In a fundraiser at the Fillmore in Miami Beach, the president gave love to the crowd, props to the Heat, and a good ribbing to Republican rival Mitt Romney.During a 35-minute speech sandwiched between reggaeton songs, Obama sought to dra ... More >>

Heat Fans Go Nuts As LeBron, Wade and Bosh Clinch A Title (Video)

All across the Magic City this Thursday night, pots are getting wrecked by spoons, more car horns are getting leaned on than rush hour on the Dolphin and every half-decent bar is passing around shots of Jameson in honor of Bron Bron. Your Miami Heat are 2012 NBA Champions. We'll keep this post ... More >>

Reader Mail: Neo-Nazis and Black Extremists Can Go to Hell

Reader mail: Jeremy Lin could get laid anytime

Ave Maria University Sues Obama Administration Over Contraception Rule

Ave Maria University -- the much-troubled, uber-Catholic institution near Naples -- is suing the Obama administration over its rule requiring health plans to cover free contraception."It is a sad day when an American citizen or organization has no choice but to sue its own government in order to exe ... More >>

Reader mail: "Republicans love socialism, but only for themselves"

Make Your Own Paper Plane With This Week's New Times Cover: Here's How

​This week, we have a New Times premiere: our very first interactive cover! This isn't quite the magnitude of Esquire's E Ink cover, but it's pretty awesome if you are bored or just wanted to annoy someone.Though it might look a bit complicated, it's pretty simple to fold up this week's "Paper Pla ... More >>

Miami Book Fair: Guide to the street festival

Reader mail: Ave Maria University is like rehab for smug Catholics

Reader mail: "Andre Pierre made the mistake of being a clean-cut black dude"

City Denies Permit to Remove Oak Trees from Notre Dame D'Haiti, New Church in Limbo

Michael E. Miller​What is it about trees?Terrence Malick's award-winning, foliage-filled movie Tree of Life has been plagued by walk-out audiences and at least one crazy crackhead.Now Notre Dame D'Haiti's long-awaited expansion is being uprooted by opposition to the church's plan to cut ... More >>

Letters from the issue of July 7, 2011

Notre Dame D'Haiti Church Expansion Threatens Ancient Oaks, Angers Nature Lovers

Michael E. MillerOne of the dozen giant oak trees next to Notre Dame D'Haiti. This one is probably more than 100 years old.​Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and th ... More >>

Letters from the issue of June 2, 2011

Barry Jenkins, Indie Movie Director and Miami Native, Returns Home to Shoot Chlorophyl

Photo by Michael E. MillerJenkins at work on the set of Chlorophyl here in Miami.​Haven't heard of Barry Jenkins? You will, soon enough.The indie movie director's latest film, Chlorophyl, opens this weekend at Miami's very own seventh annual Borscht Film Festival. His first feature film Medicine f ... More >>

DecoBike Keeps Rolling, Despite Vandalism & Customer Confusion

Michael E. Miller​Well, that didn't take long.It's only been a few weeks since DecoBike installed its eco-friendly beach cruisers all over South Beach, yet someone has already hacked one in half with a saw.But despite the vandalism -- and some customer confusion over when to return the silver bicy ... More >>

Wynwood Residents Complain of 'Illegal' Dumping Next to Apartments, Art Galleries

Michael E. MillerA scrap heap on land owned by Wynwood developer David Lombardi. In the background, the New Arena apartment complex.​The sign says: "Available Development Site: 3.35 Acres. Will Build to Suit."But there's no building going on at the corner of NW 2nd Ave. and 22nd Terrace. Instead, ... More >>

Letters from the issue of March 17, 2011

Playboy Playmate Francesca Frigo Helps Unveil New Miami Beach Bike Share

Michael E. MillerMiss August, Francesca Frigo, takes a DecoBike for a spin.​If this were any other city in the world, the sight of a Playboy Playmate in six-inch stilettos and skintight jeans wobbling down the street on a beach cruiser would be an odd way of unveiling a new bike share.But this is ... More >>

Five Reasons The New Miami Beach Bike Share Kind of Sucks

Michael E. MillerNo parking. No bikes. No good.​Just about everyone with a cerebral cortex agrees the planet is getting warmer, and we driver assholes are the ones to blame. So it's hard to hate on efforts that encourage us to ditch our gas-guzzlers and put some effort into getting around town. B ... More >>

Letters from the issue of January 20, 2011

Miami Central Reigns Supreme

Michael E. MillerMiami Central: state champs​There is special providence in a last-second field goal.After losing its first game of the season in a heartbreaker in Georgia, Miami Central came full circle last night, defeating Orlando Dr. Phillips 42-27 for the first state football trophy in school ... More >>

Miami Central Meets Cypress Bay Tonight in State Semifinal

Michael MillerDevonta Freeman will try to power Central to its first-ever state title game tonight​Last week was all about the cheese plates, champagne, and pretending you knew who Marina Abramovic was: "But of course! I love her... stuff."So now that Art Basel is over, why not shed the haute cout ... More >>

Miami Central's Quest for First State Title Continues Tonight Against South Dade

Michael MillerCentral running back Devonta Freeman breaks free last Friday​Win the division? Check. Knock-off Northwestern? Check.There's not much left between Miami Central High School and its first-ever state football title. The Rockets trounced their arch-rivals last week to earn a spot in the ... More >>

Miami Art Museum's New Building Breaks Ground and Into Barcelona's "Cool"

Michael MillerCounty mayor Carlos Alvarez (center) helps break ground for the new Miami Art Museum​Miami may not produce delicious paella, world-class wine, or soccer teams so good an entire nation has an orgasm every time its scores.But we will soon have an art museum to rival classy Barcelona's ... More >>

Devonta Freeman, Miami Central Running Back, Is the Player to Watch Tonight Against Northwestern

Michael MillerCentral running back Devonta Freeman is FSU-bound, but not before another tilt at Northwestern and a state title​Devonta Freeman grew up running through the thick mud on the riverbanks in Georgia. By the time he was a teenager, he was sprinting for cash on the street corners of Littl ... More >>

Letters from the issue of October 28, 2010

Exposito Unveils Catch from Operation Hammerhead: 14 Arrests & 31 Firearms

Michael MillerExposito shows off a rifle seized in Operation Hammerhead​This summer, Miami Police fatally shot four suspects in Liberty City, Overtown, and Little Haiti, raising questions of excessive use of force and calls for Police Chief Miguel Exposito's resignation.So Exposito could perhaps b ... More >>

Kentucky Wildcats in Hurricane Country? South Miami Grey Ghosts Leave 'The U' Feeling Blue

Michael E. MillerWeseley Neal, 8, shows off his new Kentucky jersey courtesy of the NCAA Youth Initiative​So much for #1 in Florida. First the Seminoles stomped the U on Saturday. Now it seems even out-of-state teams are taking over the Hurricanes' home turf.Barely a mile from the University of Mi ... More >>

Miami Central Conquers Miami Springs 70-0 in Cato's Revenge

Michael MillerCentral QB Rakeem Cato is a man on a mission this season​In ancient Rome, Cato was a farmer whose skill on the battlefield caught the eye of the emperor. He was called to the capital and became a powerful politician.Local quarterback Rakeem Cato played three seasons at Miami Springs, ... More >>

Versace Ushers in Fashion Week at Icon Brickell. Have You Bought Your $91,000 Chinchilla Coat Yet?

Michael MillerChinchilla so soft you could snort it for only $91,000​You might not have noticed, but the Magic City has a wee bit of a poverty crisis going on these days. Half the county is behind on its mortgage and Miami's homeless can't even get their hands on unwanted LeBron jerseys.So imagine ... More >>

Miami Central Tackles Dallas Madison in Florida-Texas Football Showdown

Michael MillerRunning back Devonta Freeman looks to run wild after a 43-yard performance last week​The last time Riptide had the footballs to run a preview of a Miami Central game, the Rockets lost on the last play of the game to a burly Camden County team that -- by the looks of it that night -- ... More >>

Feds Crack Down on Kiddie Porn in SoFla

The Calvo Case

A recently released report suggests that investigators are trying to implicate Denise Calvo in the murder of her husband

Reefer Science

Uncle Sam is looking for a few good potheads to cure, and treatment is yours for the toking