Opinion & Commentary

Letters from the issue of March 3, 2011

Marc Sarnoff is the worst politician in Florida

Good thing voters choosing a successor to Frederica Wilson’s old state Senate seat don’t put much stock in the Miami Herald’s editorial board.Yesterday, former state Rep. Oscar Braynon II easily defeated ex-North Miami Mayor Joe Celestin, who for the second time in less than a year was endorsed by the…

Red Mango Coming to South BeachThe all-natural frozen yogurt store is moving to the Shops at Alton Road, lined up on Fifth Street along with Subway and the upcoming Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company and Pizza Fusion. Here’s how Red Mango is described on the website: “The only 100% all-natural,…

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 calls out Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff.Marc Sarnoff kills me. A couple weeks ago, the city commissioner…

The Dining Room recently opened in the small space south of Fifth Street, where La Locanda used to be before moving next door. Over the years, a few different restaurants have been in this location, each serving the neighborhood well by offering ethnic fare (usually French), in an informal setting,…

Over the next two weeks, we’ll see if Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez can muster the support that propelled him to office in 2004 and 2008, and also gave him more power. Earlier today, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Barbara Areces dismissed Alvarez’s last-minute lawsuit seeking to block the recall vote set for…

Every Friday, Riptide brings you the most eye-catching mugshots taken in Miami-Dade County in the week previous. Yes, there is some mockery of bad neck tattoos, but also adulation directed at perps who just plain-out look more badass than we ever will . This is the italicized intro to that…

We must not put wax in our ears. We must answer the siren’s call. We will gladly steer our boats into the rocky hell she promises. There is nothing wrong with going down into a watery grave when her chant is so sweet, so inviting, and so resplendent. Nicole Henry…

Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a former state senator known for engaging in dirty political campaigns, is rounding up votes to stop Mayor Carlos Alvarez and County Commissioner Natacha Seijas from getting recalled, according to two sources close to both politicians. In the midterm elections, Diaz de la Portilla helped…

The Wicked Witch of the Northwest is ready to go to the ballot box to keep her elected position. Natacha Seijas has dropped her lawsuit to block the recall election against her set for March 15.Her decision comes two days after Judge Amy Steele Donner signaled she would likely rule…

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.In a deposition taken this past February 16,…

Krop of Cheaters Top-notch: The article about how Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High violated state recruiting rules is why I read Miami New Times (“Shakey Situation,” Gus Garcia-Roberts, February 17). It’s a great story that reveals the ugly criminal underbelly of some in the local high school sports scene…

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 addresses Gov. Rick Scott’s alienation from African Americans. Last week, good ole Gov. Ricky tried to explain…

Valentine’s Day has just passed, and a single tear rolls down Claudine Magloire’s perfect left cheek. She balls up tight, knees to chin, on a fluffy beige couch then gazes across her Pompano Beach townhouse at a framed watercolor. Two teddy bears, two swallows, and two plump red hearts deliver…

Looking to avoid getting accosted by reporters like she was a few weeks ago during a Hialeah clinic opening, Natacha Seijas brought in some heavy muscle to her court hearing yesterday. The county commissioner, who is seeking to block a recall vote against her, showed up at Judge Amy Steele…

Real Housewives of Miami premiers tonight, but Basketball Wives, that other Miami-set show about bickering bimbos, may have just stolen its local shine with news that they’ve snagged a lady connected to one of the Miami Heat’s big three for their next season. TMZ reports that Allison Mathis, Chris Bosh’s…

Veldora Arthur, a $184,336-a-year Miami assistant fire chief, is facing federal criminal charges for her alleged involvement in a $10 million mortgage fraud scam. Arthur, along with two other people, was recruited by a man named Neil Fagan to act as straw buyers who purchased six separate units in an…

When Alex de Gasperi resigned last month as board director of Imperial House, a luxury Miami Beach tower, he didn’t leave quietly. Instead, he circulated a four-page letter lambasting another high-profile resident: Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer.De Gasperi says Glazer damaged a door by kicking it and later intimidated the…

The Michelle Spence-Jones public corruption saga is entering its final act. Her trial on grand theft and bribery charges begins today.Since her initial arrest in November 2009, days following her reelection to the Miami City Commission, Spence-Jones has maintained she will be exonerated. By the end of the week, we’ll…

Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff sure knows how to alienate people. We’ve made our case before why this guy should get recalled. The man is unfit for public office. He is absolutely clueless when it comes to dealing with the poor and the disenfranchised.On February 18, Sarnoff provided more reason…