Opinion & Commentary

Days following his August 6 arrest on federal bribery charges, Michael Pizzi was walking around shell-shocked and despondent. In a blockbuster moment for public corruption fighters, the Federal Bureau of Investigations had nabbed the Miami Lakes mayor, his counterpart in Sweetwater Manuel Maroño, and two lobbyists allegedly accepting payoffs in…

For at least three months, John Renfrow, director of the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department, knew about the $18.5 million fine CH2M Hill had to pay the federal government to avoid being prosecuted for time card fraud. Yet Renfrow didn’t stop the Colorado-based firm from bidding on a lucrative contract…

No matter which current incarnation of Black Flag you may prefer to see or which former lineup is your favorite, there is no simply no arguing with the fact that the essential appeal of this band (beyond the imposing sonics, beyond Raymond Pettibon’s vital imagery, beyond the legends chronicled in…

A pungent odor permeates an empty mosaic-tiled room inside a shuttered motel at 304 N. Krome Ave. in downtown Homestead. Mildew seeps through the walls. “Before I owned this place, it was a haven for crack addicts and prostitutes,” says the 43-year-old owner, Ernesto Perez, who bought the place for…

Just when I was about to give Rev. Richard Dunn II the benefit of the doubt, he proves he can’t be trusted to represent the African-Americans in his district. Now that he’s the frontrunner to replace incumbent city commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, who isn’t allowed to run again, Dunn is cutting…

Sex Criminals Activists are just as bad: Unfortunately, your story about the battle over how to treat sex offenders (“Sympathy for the Devils,” Kyle Swenson, August 22) did not do enough to highlight the harassment that anti-sex-offender activist Valerie Parkhurst has dished out, including harassing the daughter of one registered…

A Colorado-based company vying for a lucrative contract to oversee Miami-Dade County’s multi-billion dollar sewer system renovation projects admitted it defrauded the federal government earlier this year. Back in March CH2M Hill and one its subsidiaries agreed to pay $18.5 million in civil fines and restitution because the firms had…

Carol City, Miami, Florida, is the home of freestyle music. And a group called Freestyle originated the name, the sound, and was the first musical act from the area to make national and international hit records. You may not recognize the name Garfield Baker, but he’s the pen behind such…

Another city mayor in Miami-Dade has been busted this morning. Less than a month after the arrests of Sweetwater Mayor Manuel Maroño and Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi on federal bribery charges, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is accusing Homestead Mayor Steven Bateman of unlawful compensation. At his home earlier…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke gets the scoop on Rev. Richard Dunn II’s biggest supporter. Just when I was about to give Rev. Richard Dunn…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. Today, Luke weighs in on Miley Cyrus’ performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. There are a lot of people hating on Miley…

Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” was blasting from the outside speakers of Shots Miami as ladies in black shorts, sandals, and colorful skirts wearing straw wajiro bonnets and afros, and guys in denim jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers rockin’ Mexican sombreros and Santa Claus hats crowded the bar for F@^k the…

Andrew Mossberg made a painful mistake two months ago. He thought Miami Beach Police Det. Philippe Archer was a purse snatcher and tried to help the woman he believed was the victim. His thanks? Getting his face obliterated by the cop. In the early evening of June 26, the 50-year-old…

The music recording industry needs to thank Compton, California rapper Kendrick Lamar for breathing life back into hip-hop. The rap game’s gotten soft. Too many artists are sleepwalking, content to make mixtapes and albums featuring name brands like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Drake, and Rick Ross. Motherfuckers are afraid to step…

Chad’s Comeback Not in the HOF: In your profile of Chad Johnson (“Unnecessary Roughness,” Michael E. Miller, August 15), you call him “one of the greatest wide receivers in football history.” But he’s not even close to that kind of company. He’s not even in Hall of Fame conversation and…

The Miami Times is one of America’s oldest continually running black newspapers, and the largest one in the Southeast. In 2011 they were recognized by the Black Press of America as the best newspaper in the country. Since 1923 they’ve been the essential documenter of life in black Miami. Their…

A City of Hialeah employee claims she was forced to retire because of her supervisor’s abusive behavior. In a June 26 resignation email to Mayor Carlos Hernandez, Edith Galloza alleges her boss Carlos Lopez intimidated her and created a hostile work environment. The day she sent the email, Galloza claims…

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 chimes in on K Dot’s lyrical throwdown. The music recording industry needs to thank Compton, California, rapper…

For the past few weeks, it’s seemed there’s not enough time in the day. From the time I wake up., life goes by in a blur… walking the dogs, writing on the computer, doing chores, making dinner. My husband and I usually have one day off together, and each week…