Gail Shepherd “I don’t want to, Dad.” “You’re committed now, babe,” a father says to his eight-year-old. They’re making tracks through the parking lot toward what looks like an angry hive of human-sized bees. “But it’ll take forever.” The kid’s prescient. The doors open at 9 a.m. at Palm Beach…
It was quite a show on Monday, as South Florida Democrats invited their brethren to take a midday break from work and rally for the first day of early voting on Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Seemed like every Democratic politician in town — nay the Universe — lined…
I hate Mayor Manny Diaz, big-time lawyer Hank Adorno, and former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola because they screwed the public. I was reminded of it yesterday when I received a note in the mail saying I might be able to get $140 or so from the fire fee settlement…
The story broke just a few minutes ago: Turkey Point closed its number four reactor — a nuclear unit. If you’ve been in town for more than a few months, you know that FPL was recently nailed for allowing guards to sleep on the job at Turkey Point — and…
Editor’s Note: Keith Berger of Boca just dropped us this e-mail. When we called to get his permission to print it, he termed Sarah Palin “the antchrist” and added: “I couldn’t believe they treated her like this… We would have stoned her if it were legal.” On October 6, a…
Former Hialeah Mayor and now congressional candidate Raul Martinez doesn’t come off too well on www.raulmartinez08.com. It points out that Martinez was convicted for extortion as Hialeah mayor in 1991. It also points out the uncanny resemblance between Martinez and Godfather character, Luca Brasi, whom we all know sleeps with…
Prominent Miamians who take bribes, divorce, or don women’s underwear in public need no longer fret that Joan Fleischman will find out. The Miami Herald’s gossip columnist is one of several newsroom staffers who has accepted a buyout. Her final “Talk of Our Town” column runs this Sunday. “I am…
There was the most famous sign in Miami rolling down Opa-locka Boulevard yesterday morning. “Joe’s Stone Crab,” it read in freshly painted Miami Hurricane green and orange. “It goes down every summer and gets put back up in the fall,” explains Mike Gonzalez, a manager at Joe’s on South Beach…
Why are we taxpayers wasting $330 million to build Lexus lanes on I-95 north from downtown Miami? They are supposed to reduce congestion, but all they have accomplished so far is create confusion and traffic back-ups — sometimes even more in the express lanes than the regular ones. The state…
At Miami New Times HQ, the newspaper’s editorial staff convened in a conference room to conduct some serious investigative journalism. For 400 years, the region of Bushmills in Ireland has been distilling Irish whiskey for the masses to enjoy. So to celebrate King James 1608 decree granting the company a…
Talk about conflict of interest. Early next month, Miami Herald county hall reporter Matthew Pinzur leaves the newspaper for a $115,000-per-year job as special assistant to Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess. The move has caused outrage in the Herald newsroom, prompted head-scratching in the halls of power, and raised questions…
Untitled (Video Still), Federico Nessi One has to tip the chapeau to Anthony Spinello. The spunky young dealer has transformed his modest gallery about as often as his competitors change their underwear. During this past Saturday’s Wynwood season-opening art walk, he stopped traffic along NW Second Avenue, outhustling most of…
Is it just me, or did anyone else in Miami-Dade connect Judge Jeri Cohen’s recent reelection and her decision to approve the Marlins ballpark as a “public purpose” on Tuesday. Cohen’s ruling was a model of contradictions, citing the Marlins refusal to make their finances public and the uselessness of…
Around the middle of the third quarter Sunday, nine Miami-Dade cops marched into my section at the Dolphins game and dragged off a vociferous Jets fan, who flashed the crowd a victory sign as he headed for the calaboose. That kinda said it all. Sunday’s Dolphin game, which the team…
Hurricanes often have geeky names. Gustav was a loser for sure. Back in 1989, Hugo sounded like a kid who’d get beat up on the playground. There was Iris in 2001 — want to go bowling? And Georges in 1998. What in God’s name is up with that ‘s’? Check…
The Sun-Sentinel screwed with Miami Herald readers this morning. Or so it seemed. The Magic City’s paper of record this morning printed what I think was the first Sentinel story since the once hotly competitive newspapers announced they would share some material. The experiment commenced with the work of a…
Today is the third anniversary of the day Katrina struck New Orleans. That’s in the news, news,, news. And Gustav is headed in the city’s general direction. Well, all Riptide has to say is: “Shut up! I mean, Miami has been ravaged by Andrew and whacked by Wilma. We know…
There was a lot of bad news to come out of yesterday’s elections. Too many incumbent county commissioners won. Carlos Alvarez didn’t even have to take a break to win his job back. Carlton Moore is still alive in Broward. Et cetera, et cetera. But the worst development was voters…
Miami New Times dominated the South Florida Black Journalists Association contest at the Lyric Theatre on Saturday. Drumroll, please. Patrice Elizabeth Grell-Yursik took first for Pretty in the City as the best blog . Chuck Strouse took a first for commentary on “Reporter on the Lam.” Isaiah Thompson won in…
The Marlins shoulda creamed the St Louis Cardinals last night. They didn’t. The reason: Luis Gonzalez sucks. The Marlins 31-year-old left fielder came up three times with runs in scoring position ..and made three outs. The bases were loaded. There were two guys on base. He’s supposed to be the…
About 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, to my left TV news anchor Belkys Nerey smiled as her daughter was showered in 10,000 tiny bits of paper. To my right, a dignified Russian woman giggled nonstop as her 70-year-old mom was bonked on the head with a 20-foot diameter, air-pumped ball…
Arms dealers in South Florida? Is this déjà vu all over again? We truly are America’s Casablanca. The U.S. attorney in Miami just issued this release. Boy oh boychicle. First there was the South Beach party boy and his crappy weapons sold to the U.S. military and now this. War…
