In today's news roundup: Mayor Carlos Alvarez is not going to take Norman Braman's recall efforts lightly, UM students react to Tyler Clemente's suicide, a man is shot on the Palmetto, a worker is shocked on South Beach, and the Marlins have gone to the dogs.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez is wasting no time in preparing to fend off billionaire Norman Braman's promised recall efforts. Alvarez has already set up a political action committee and hired some top-tier legal aid.
The newly formed PAC -- "Citizens For Truth" -- allows the mayor to accept unlimited financial donations from fundraisers to bankroll his fight. Alvarez also retained Bruce Rogow, a veteran litigator and appellate attorney, who aided the county leader's successful ballot initiative in 2007 to win strong-mayor powers.
Braman has already filed a formal notice at the Clerk of Courts, and promises to kick Alvarez out of office for raising property taxes. Alvarez hoping to keep the effort off the ballot all together, as the county charter states a recall effort can not be made less than a year after another recall effort is defeated. A previous, unrelated recall effort was attempted earlier this year, but never came to ballot. [Herald]
- University of Miami students react to the suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clemente after his roommate streamed hidden camera video of him kissing another man online: "Gay teens just don't go about killing themself because oh I'm gay. It's because someone else has imposed on them that's it's bad, that they've done something wrong." [CBS4]
- A man who was painting on South Beach five stories up came in contact with some powerlines and was shocked to death. [WSVN]
- An argument somehow erupted between two motorists on the Palmetto Expressway, and one of the men ended up being shot last night at about 3:30 am near Hialeah. His condition is unknown. [NBCMiami]
- Brandon Rolle has been found guilty of robbing and killing a tourist visiting from Chicago back in 2006. [CBS4]
- Five people in Hialeah have been arrested for insurance fraud. The workers at Allstate and State Farm colluded with workers at a body shop to inflict more damage on cars and write up more expensive claims. [WSVN]
- The Freedom Tower has been lit pink to raise breast cancer awareness. [WSVN]
- The Marlins have gone to the dogs. Yes, at an upcoming game fans will be able to bring their dogs with them. [JustNews]