Michelle Spence-Jones

Judge in Michelle Spence-Jones Case Steps Aside for Not Revealing Conflict

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jorge E. Cueto should have known better. On Tuesday, he angrily removed himself from a civil case challenging Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones' third run for office. After ruling in favor of her opponent, Rev. Richard Dunn, that she could not run again, local media o ... More >>

Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado To Unveil "Profound" Mystery Lawsuit

In a few hours, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and Commissioner Marc Sarnoff will announce a mysterious new lawsuit they promise will have a "profound" impact on Overtown, Omni and downtown Miami. What could it be? New regulations for Ultra Music Fest? Stricter controls on police? JETPACKS FOR EVERYONE? ... More >>

Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones Sues Mayor Tomas Regalado and Katherine Fernandez Rundle

Ever since she beat two separate criminal cases against her last year, Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones has been quietly preparing for an epic take down of Mayor Tomas Regalado and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle -- the two politicians she blames for almost destroyi ... More >>

Keon Hardemon Could Carry Liberty City's Most Notorious Political Family Into County Hall

Magic City Casino Picks Fight With Miami-Dade, Marlins and Miccosukee Tribe

Ever notice that sign for the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians on Marlins Park? Well, the management of Magic City Casino sure has, and they are not happy with it. The casino believes that it violates a contract it has with the county that forbids Miami-Dade from harming their slot revenue, and they'd ve ... More >>

Luther Campbell Appointed To Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority

​Former county mayoral candidate and current Miami New Times columnist Luther Campbell has a new gig. Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones has appointed the former 2 Live Crew frontman to serve on the board of the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority, which was recently given ... More >>

The Ten Biggest Miami Losers of 2011

​Two thousand eleven is almost over, and some of us had better years than others. For most, this year seemed like a downer. But, hey, at least you didn't accidentally spend almost $20K at a strip club, get recalled from office, or embarrass yourself on national television. It really could have bee ... More >>

Richard Scruggs Goes From Public Corruption to Gang Busting

Richard Scruggs​The public corruption unit at the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office is getting quite a makeover. Longtime unit chief Joe Centorino will soon depart to take on a new gig as executive director of the Miami-Dade ethics commission. And assistant state attorney Richard Scruggs is now w ... More >>

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

Miguel Exposito's Lawsuit Tossed, Leaving Chief's Job In Michelle Spence-Jones' Hands

​This morning Miami-Dade Judge Barbara Areces threw out suspended Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito's lawsuit against the city, putting his fate back into the hands of the commission.In case you've forgotten that we live in a very strange city, Areces decision essentially means that Michelle Spen ... More >>

The Nonblack Elites Lie Again

​Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once 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 wages war against Miami's elitist secret society.If you are an African American civic leader in Miami, you're better off ... More >>

Michelle Spence-Jones Acquitted Of Bribery Charge

UPDATE: Miami-Dade State Attorney Kath​erine Fernandez Rundle stands by her decision to prosecute Michelle Spence-Jones for bribery, claiming the judge presiding over the suspended Miami city commissioner's trial screwed up the verdict's outcome. "We disagree with the judge's interpretation o ... More >>

Armando Codina: State Attorney 'Purposely Misled Me' In Spence-Jones Case

Armando Codina​Talk about a hostile witness. Armando Codina, the developer at the heart of a criminal case against ex-Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, criticized prosecutor Richard Scruggs repeatedly on the stand today for "misleading" him. Prosecutors say the $12,500 Codina gave a charity at S ... More >>

Armando Codina Is "Disappointed" With Prosecutor Richard Scruggs

Armando Codina​As jury selection continues in the bribery and grand theft trial of suspended Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, the prosecution's main witness, prominent developer Armando Codina, gave new testimony that pokes holes in the state's case. Trial is set to begin next week.I ... More >>

A Look Ahead: Riptide Predicts 2011's Biggest Stories

​Any two-bit news rag can tell you what happened yesterday. But it takes a truly great publication -- one advertising Asian table massages in its back pages -- to predict the future. We donned our swami's cap and stared long and hard at our 2011 calendar until we started hallucinating. This is wh ... More >>

2010 was not a good year for African Americans

Jennifer Lopez on the New Times Dirty Dozen Countdown

Miami ain't clean, but these people are downright dirty​Each year, New Times puts together a list of the sketchiest politicians and unholiest celebrities and weirdest human beings to call the Magic City home. Last year, we had prostitute-punching TV salesman Vince Shlomi and indicted ex-city commi ... More >>

Alison Austin Challenges Richard Dunn for District 5 Commission Seat

via electalisonaustin.com​The first challenger has stepped up to take on Rev. Richard Dunn, the city commissioner who, in order to get an appointment to replace the ousted Michelle Spence-Jones, promised to relinquish his seat in November. That pledge lasted all of a hot minute before Dunn c ... More >>

Who's the Moron of the Year? Let's Break out the Tourney Brackets

​This time of year, everything should be decided using tournament brackets. Riptide picks our breakfast by scrawling our kitchen's options on a whiteboard. Yogurt and oatmeal always get knocked out in the first round, and Honey Bunches of Oats is highly seeded. Today a champion will eme ... More >>

Letters from the issue of March 11, 2010

Stop screwing Miami's inner city and hire a black guy

Stop Screwing Miami's Inner City; Hire A Black Guy

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court Newscom​stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. Up this week: Miami is in trouble again. The town's top bureaucrat -- City Manager Pete Hernandez -- has resigned and the U. ... More >>

Commissioner Richard Dunn: Natty Dresser, Colorful Orator, Almost Felon

​Three weeks on the Miami City Commission, and already the Rev. Richard Dunn has figured out Miami politics. Contacted Tuesday to comment on a story about his driving record, the newly appointed replacement for Michelle Spence-Jones went on the offensive, attacking District 2's Marc Sarn ... More >>

News Roundup: City Commission Gets It Dunn

After an epically long city commission meeting, commissioners chose the Rev. Richard Dunn to replace Michelle Spence-Jones after he pledged not to run for the seat in November. [Herald]Crime rates in unincorporated Dade County are down. [Herald]Sad Ponzi clown Scott Rothstein is going to p ... More >>

Democrat Maurice Ferre Doesn't Back Democrat Health Plan One Day After Democrat Loss

​Former Mayor of Miami Maurice Ferre, who somehow thinks he is running for US Senate even though he is trailing in the primary race for the party that is trailing in the general election race, has announced that he doesn't support the Democratic healthcare plan.  "It is a special-interest pla ... More >>

News Roundup: Woman Drives Through MLK Parade

Hundreds of Haitian refugees have begun applying for temporary protected status. [Herald]Willy Gort will be sworn into his seat on the city commission today at 4pm.  Michelle Spence-Jones won't be joining him. [CBS4]26 sea turtles taken in during the cold snap have been released back ... More >>

News Roundup: Manny Headed to Harvard; Voters Head to Polls

It's Election Day! All over again! Voters in Districts 1 and 5 will head to the polls to replace Angel Gonzalez and maybe Michelle Spence-Jones. [CBS4]Former Mayor Manny Diaz is headed to Harvard to be a resident fellow at the JFK School of Government. Guess this means his name is complete ... More >>

Michelle Spence-Jones and Willy Gort Prevail in Special Elections

Today's special election to fill two vacant city commission seats resulted with two familiar names returning to City Hall. Voters in District 1 returned Willy Gort to office. He previously held the seat until 2001 when he made an unsuccesful bid at the Mayor's office. He raplces the man who suc ... More >>

Miami's Dirty Dozen 2009

Letters from the issue of December 31, 2009

Miami 2009: Seven signs the End Times are nigh

Letters from the Issue of December 10, 2009

News Roundup: Art Ladybug Terror

Michelle Spence-Jones pleaded not guilty to theft charges and, of course, plans to run for her city commission seat again. [CBS4]Police are on the hunt for someone who released thousands of ladybugs in the VIP room at Art Basel. [NBCMiami]A man stole a $1 million painting. Police caught the suspect ... More >>

Letters from the Issue of November 26, 2009

"Most politicians should serve two terms — one in office and one in jail."

Troubled Miami-Dade Agency Gets Revamped

Alex Izaguirre​Miami-Dade County commissioners are gearing up to revamp the Miami Metro Action Plan Trust, the social and economic redevelopment agency created in the wake of the racial riots that rocked the county during the '80s.On December 1, the commission will vote to reconstitute the trust i ... More >>

Charlie Crist won't appoint a replacement for ousted Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones

Charlie Don't Appoint

Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado​Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado's insistence that Gov. Charlie Crist appoint a replacement for suspended commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is getting ugly.Over the weekend, Regalado and Commission Chairman Marc Sarnoff were pressuring Angel Gonzalez -- who resigned yesterday ... More >>

News Roundup: Commissioner Gonzalez Resigning; Blah, Blah, LeBron James

Miami City Commissioner Angel Gonzalez will resign soon amid an investigation into a job he got his daughter. There's probably a joke in here about his name being Angel while he is clearly not one, but why would we make a joke as horrible as that? That joke would be almost as horrible as the city co ... More >>

In the Name of the King

The leader of a church that's drawn presidential hopefuls and the devout is enveloped in scandal.

A disappointed open letter to Michelle Spence-Jones

Floridians haven't followed the Marlins this closely since the Gary Sheffield Era, and today, another chapter was written in the saga of the proposed Little Havana stadium. Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones pretty much played this perfectly, even using a fetus to her advantage. She was on maternity ... More >>

News Roundup

LocalVice President Biden tried to butter up reps from the biggest union in all the land, AFL-CIO, so they'd support the stimulus bill during a meeting in Miami Beach yesterday. [AP]He also announced $8.4 billion from the stimulus package will benefit transportation, and called the Miami Intermodal ... More >>

Marlins Deal Kaput?

The Florida Marlins are in desperate need of a great closer. Someone who can seal the deal with the Miami City Commission and the Miami-Dade County Commission over the team's sweetheart $630 million stadium deal. Right now the Marlins dreams of a new domed home on the former Orange Bowl site appear ... More >>

News Round Up

Bill Clinton dropped by Miami on Friday night and helped Kendrick Meek raise $300,000 for his Senate race. [Naked Politics]That thing we posted about the 2014 Governor's race already having front runners is legit. Boy wonder Republican Congressman Adam Putnam announced he'd give up his legislative s ... More >>

Hope for Overtown

At 11:45 this morning, Jackson Soul Food restaurant at 950 NW Third Ave. was standing-room-only. Overtown and Liberty City residents packed every booth, table, and counter inside the storied and recently  remodeled soul food eatery as they watched President Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony on ... More >>

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 Arrio ... More >>

Sarnoff Turns His Back on Blacks

Coconut Grove's other half feels left out.

Sarnoff's Agenda Hyjacked

Weekly News Wrap – 1/25/08

On the MMAP

The key to understanding the new corruption charges? Look at the old ones.

Weekly News Wrap