Top 11 New Times News Stories of 2024

We did it. We made it through another presidential election news cycle.

But that was only a small snippet of what transpired in the great year of 2024.

Once again, New Times has tallied up the most-read stories on our site to ensure we don't forget the moments that made 2024 so special.

Yes, we are pouring one out for the South Beach legend we lost in 2024, armless street artist Jonathan Crenshaw, and the short-lived love affair between Florida's certified far-right nutjob Laura Loomer and President-elect Donald Trump.

From Matt Gaetz's eyebrow-raised appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to the DJ-loving cop who slammed Miami Dolphins' wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the pavement during a traffic stop to Miami Super Bowl streakers in Vegas, listed below are the 11 most-read New Times news stories of 2024.

11. Did Your Miami Neighborhood Vote Red or Blue for President?

The 2024 presidential election brought few surprise results in Florida, with no blue wave in sight. Donald Trump and J.D. Vance emerged victorious over Kamala Harris and Tim Walz by a comfortable margin in DeSantisland, garnering just over 56 percent of the vote statewide.

But Trump coming out on top in Miami-Dade County, the first time a Republican presidential candidate won the hearts and minds of county voters in 36 years, definitely came as a surprise.

In an outcome that qualifies as political annihilation, Trump–Vance topped Harris–Walz, 55.2 percent to 43.8 percent. For the sake of comparison, in 2020, Joe Biden beat Trump 53.3 percent to 46 percent in Miami-Dade. In 2016, Hillary Clinton whupped him by nearly 30 points, 63.2 percent to 33.8 percent.

Our color-coded map, a deep sea of red overshadowing a more modest blue abyss, helped readers understand on which side of the political spectrum their neighborhood fared.

Read the full story: "Election 2024 Map: Did Your Miami Neighborhood Vote Red or Blue for President" by Patrick McCaslin.

10. Homeless Miami Artist With No Arms Dies at 51

Jonathan Crenshaw, the armless Miami Beach street artist who painted mosaics with his feet on Lincoln Road, died on May 12, 2023, at 51. Though his death occurred more than a year ago, it wasn't publicly reported until March 2024, when New Times broke the story. A vibrant South Beach figure, Crenshaw's life blended artistry, viral fame, and personal struggles.

Known for his wild claims — such as insisting Gloria Estefan was the mother of his (fictional) 200 children — Crenshaw had a streak of eccentricity that added to his charm. Despite challenges like homelessness and run-ins with police, his art and spirit left a lasting local mark.

Social media mourned his passing, with Instagram users calling him a "true SoBe legend" and sharing their unforgettable encounters with the artist. Crenshaw's story highlights the rich, complicated lives behind Miami's street artists and their impact on the city's culture.

Read the full story: "Jonathan Crenshaw, Homeless Miami Beach Artist Who Painted With Feet, Dead at 51" by Alex DeLuca.

9. Cop Who Cuffed Tyreek Hill Is a Motorcycle Club Member and DJ

The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) officer who was caught on camera pulling Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and slamming him facedown to the pavement ahead of the team's home opener is an avid biker, DJ, and motorcycle club member.

Danny Torres, a 27-year MDPD veteran, has a DJ side hustle wherein he goes by DJ DNO and belongs to the Florida chapter of the Gunfighters Motorcycle Club, which calls itself "a national and international law enforcement motorcycle club."

Photos from his various social media accounts reveal that he even worked as a DJ for the police department.

Read the full story: "Cop Who Cuffed Tyreek Hill Is a Motorcycle Club Member and a DJ" by Naomi Feinstein.

8. Two South Florida Suburbs Are Among the Wealthiest in the U.S.

A real estate report analyzed average household incomes and property values among municipalities with at least 5,000 households in order to determine the 50 wealthiest suburbs in the United States. Two of the wealthiest neighborhoods happen to be within South Florida.

Read the full story: "Two South Florida Suburbs Are Among the Wealthiest in the U.S." by Julia Postell.

7. The Super Bowl Streaker Is a Miamian Who Schmoozed With Mayor Suarez

During the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, two shirtless fans stormed the field, briefly interrupting a Chiefs drive. Allegiant Stadium security swiftly tackled them, escorting the pair off the field in handcuffs.

Surprise! Both streakers were Miamians.

One was Alex Gonzalez, whom South Florida locals recognized from his social media videos, wherein the day trader showcases a lavish lifestyle, smoking cigars and posing with exotic cars against the backdrop of the Miami skyline. Via his Instagram, he promotes trading courses and offers "bootcamp" sessions focused on wealth-building.

As an added local tie, Gonzalez partnered with Miami's cryptocurrency-enthusiast mayor, Francis Suarez, to provide free gas fill-ups at Charles Hadley Park in Model City during the holidays in 2023.

Read the full story: "Of Course Both Super LVIII Streakers Are From Miami" by Naomi Feinstein.

6. Florida Universities Drop in 2025 Best College Rankings

In the 2025 Best College Rankings, an annual list compiled by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), private and public universities in the Sunshine State did not fare well. Notably, the University of Florida tumbled from 15 to 83, while the University of Miami fell 141 spots, from 70 to 231.

Florida International University was the highest-ranked Florida school, according to WSJ.

Read the full story: "Florida Universities Tumble in 2025 Best College Rankings" by Naomi Feinstein.

5. Lawsuit Claims Floyd Mayweather Jr. Owes a Miami Jeweler $4M

In a federal lawsuit filed in August, Miami-based jeweler Leonard Sulaymanov claims retired world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. owes him nearly $4 million for luxury watches and diamond jewelry purchased in 2021. The jeweler, who owns Lenzo & Co., says he sold the boxer a number of high-ticket items, including Richard Mille, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet watches during two separate meetings in Las Vegas and at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach.

The complaint also names rapper Tyga for allegedly failing to pay for a Rolex.

Read the full story: "Lawsuit: Miami Jeweler Claims Floyd Mayweather Jr. Stiffed Him for $4M in Luxury Watches, Diamond Jewelry" by Naomi Feinstein.

4. Miami, Check Out This Pic of J.D. Vance in a Soviet T-shirt

click to enlarge

An old photo has resurfaced appearing to show Donald Trump's running mate J.D. Vance wearing a T-shirt featuring a Soviet hammer and sickle.

Screenshot via @travis_county_/X

Social media buzzed over a resurfaced photo portraying J.D. Vance in a red T-shirt emblazoned with a Soviet hammer and sickle.

In a now-viral post on X (née Twitter), user @travis_county_ w wrote, "Run this everywhere in Miami and Miami-Dade County."

"Attention Cubans of Miami! Do you hate communism? Then you should probably not vote Trump/Vance 🤷🏻‍♂️," another user joked.

Read the full story: "J.D. Vance in Communist Shirt Goes Viral: 'Run This Everywhere in Miami'" by Alex Deluca.

3. The Floridians on Forbes' List of Richest U.S. Women

The annual list, which ranks the 100 wealthiest women in the country by net worth, featured no fewer than seven Florida residents, including Fort Lauderdale resident and Oracle CEO Safra Catz.

Catz and the other women, including Judy Sheindlin, AKA Judge Judy, appeared alongside stars and notable names like Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Taylor Swift. In order to qualify, the women had to have a minimum net worth of $300 million.

Read the full story: "Seven Florida Residents Make Forbes List of Richest Self-Made Women" by Naomi Feinstein.

2. Dr. Miami Weighs In on Matt Gaetz's Face

Before his recent headline-making resignation, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz was no stranger to controversy — but his face stole the spotlight at this year's Republican National Convention.

Looking as though he walked off the set of a Marvel villain's origin story, Gaetz debuted a new, shall we say, enhanced look. Social media did what it does best, with theories flying faster than gossip in a small town: Botox? Thread lifts? A secret second life as a drag queen? The hashtag #GaetzFaceGate had everyone talking.

Enter Miami's own plastic-surgery superstar, Dr. Miami, who chimed in with some professional tea for New Times. He suggested Gaetz's villainous brows might have come courtesy of a combo platter: Botox that finally kicked in, eyebrow threading, and a thread lift — AKA a "lunchtime lift" because the procedure requires no downtime.

Read the full story: "Dr. Miami Weighs In on Matt Gaetz's Face, Plastic Surgery Rumors" by Alex DeLuca.

1. Trump Is Spending a Lot of Time With Laura Loomer

As then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in September, a new woman was by his side: Florida's very own far-right provocateur, Laura Loomer.

Backstage at the September 10 debate, Loomer hobnobbed in the spin room immediately after and visited two different September 11 remembrance ceremonies — all while Trump's wife, Melania, was noticeably absent.

Julius Caesar had Cleopatra pic.twitter.com/YSYfbyAioG

— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 13, 2024

Naturally, the internet had a fun time speculating that the pair is a romantic item cozying up at Mar-a-Lago.

One social media user saw similarities between the pair and Roman dictator and his love Cleopatra.

"Julius Caesar had Cleopatra," @AFleischman wrote on Twitter above a photo of the duo.

Read the full story: "Laura Loomer and Trump Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G" by Naomi Feinstein.