I’ve made no secret of my total disdain for Tom Falco, Head Grammarian (and Trust Fund baby), at the typo-laden Coconut Grove Grapevine.

My contempt for Falco goes back a number of years when I had only just recently discovered the E.W.F. Stirrup House and decided to save it. However, because the blog I created (under a nom de troll) had such a small footprint, I started to reach out to people who I thought could help me save the E.W.F. Stirrup House.

Falco was among the many people I contacted, which included every media outlet I could find. Falco not only declined to help, but did so with comments that I took as racist. Unprompted he brought up the travesty of the Mariah Brown House and said that “whitey didn’t do that.” However, despite how little he cared for the E.W.F. Stirrup House back then, he said this week:

At the [Housing Summit] meeting, the Grove pioneer EWF Stirrup’s House was brought up, and people are bitter about the way the house is being rebuilt and not restored. The house is being rebuilt to look historic and is turning into a bed and breakfast (See that here). I was also curious as to why the building was being rebuilt and not restored, until I realized that the house just sat and rotted for years, termites and lack of care hurt the house (look at it here). It’s costing more to rebuild the place as being historic, than it would have been to just renovate the old house, if it has been kept up. That’s where the city should step in. In my neighborhood they come after you if you don’t mow the lawn, why are old, historic houses allowed to rot without the city fining someone? [NB: I removed all links because Falco has refused to allow me to link my articles on his facebookery and his blog.]

To be perfectly honest: I was stunned that Falco would suddenly echo what I had been saying about the DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT of the Stirrup House after blowing me off years ago when his help may have meant something. So, I decided to leave a comment on his crappy blog.

The following exchange was posted, but then removed by him. I’m glad I saved the text, but I know how slippery Falco is.

MY COMMENT AT THE GRAPEVINE:

Tom, are you kidding?

I tried to interest you in helping save the E.W.F. Stirrup House years ago, before all the DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, when it would have done some good. You specifically told me you didn’t want to get involved. But now you’ve got something to say?

Furthermore, contrary to your assertion, it actually would have cost more to bring the old house up to code than it did to recreate the house, especially after almost 10 years of DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT. Why do you think the developer allowed it to go that way?

In a run-on sentence you ask, “In my neighborhood they come after you if you don’t mow the lawn, why are old, historic houses allowed to rot without the city fining someone?”

Because I was the only one who cared. Even the Historic Preservation Office didn’t care, although I warned them many times what was happening.

THEN FALCO LIBELED ME:

Headly, I do remember at the time that you threatened me and threatened the Miami Herald into doing what you wanted. The Herald called me to ask me what they should do, you apparently scared their reporter with your threats. I don’t know what they ended up doing, but I don’t respond to threats.

At the time I explained that there was nothing I could do because unlike you, I don’t threaten people. I could not afford to buy the house, not that it was for sale, and I could not persuade anyone involved to take action. Other than that, there was nothing I could do.

I shined light on the house and Charles Avenue many times, starting in 2009. I also posted links to your story in 2012, showing the deterioration. I am not sure what else I could do. I reported and wrote about their canopy destruction a few years back. I spoke with neighbors in the area who have been living there for years. They did nothing.

I am not part of the HEP or zoning boards and I am not part of any city agencies and again, I will not threaten people. I warned the city agencies, I warned the commissioner, I warned many people, as well. Maybe I didn’t report on that, but I do a lot around here that people don’t know about.

I honestly don’t know what else you would have had me do. I write the news here. I shed light on things. I notify the authorities. I just had a conversation with someone yesterday about turning that open spigot on the roof of the Playhouse. He made one call and it was done. I helped someone find housing, I helped another find a job, I stood up to a developer trying to change easements in the neighborhood, I sat through a three hour housing summit to find out the facts, etc. I do that silently and don’t report it all.

I don’t buy houses and restore them. Sorry. And I don’t threaten people to see it my way.

PS. I didn’t want to get involved with YOU years ago, not the house.

January 24, 2017 11:16 AM

SO, I DEMANDED A RETRACTION:

Tom:

This is now the 2nd time you’ve defamed me by falsely claiming I threatened you. The last time it was in an email chain with Al Crespo. At the time I asked you to withdraw the accusation and apologize. You did neither.

Now you compound your defamation by going public with it *and* claiming I threatened an unnamed Herald reporter. Where do you get your alternate facts?

Since I have never spoken to you or any Herald reporter — and all my communication has been by email — you should be able to prove your assertion that I threatened you and a Herald reporter because there would be a paper trail.

Prove it or retract it.

===========================
GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY
===========================

FALCO TRIES TO WEASEL OUT:

She and I will not apologize for feeling threatened. That was our emotion at the time, that is why you were put on ignore and spam and I haven’t seen an email from you since.

The Herald reporter vaguely remembers it, but not clearly, she is checking her notes and also with her partner in the morning.

No more comments on this subject. Waste of time. If I get the info from her, I’ll send it to your pal Al Crespo and he can forward it on to you.

THE END.

I ATTEMPTED ANOTHER REPLY:

I’m not asking for an apology. I’m asking for a retraction.

You defamed me, but now are hiding behind new weasel words, that you were “feeling threatened”.

However, that’s not what you said. You said I threatened you and a Herald reporter.

That is libel. I am demanding a retraction or proof. What could I have possibly said that made the little snowflake feel threatened? Put up or shut up.

However, that comment wouldn’t go through and Snowflake Tommy posted this instead:

I deleted a couple of my own comments here because I decided long ago not to argue with readers or even read the comments.

Then a few minutes later even that little note disappeared. Now there are zero comments on that post and no comments whatsoever will be allowed.

Here’s the important thing: I was still libeled. Consequently:

I am still demanding a
retraction from Tom Falco.

Deleting a comment that remained on his site for hours doesn’t mitigate the libel.

Deleting the comment does not take the place of a retraction.

Deleting the comment doesn’t absolve Tom Falco from damages.

However, this episode does show (once again) that:

1. Tom Falco is no journalist;
2. Tom Falco has no ethics;
3. Tom Falco is a coward.

---

This is not the first time I’ve blasted Tom Falco
for his supreme idiocy. You may also enjoy:

Go Home, Coconut Grove Grapevine, You’re Drunk! • A Coconut Grove Grapevine Update • If It’s News, It’s News To The Coconut Grove Grapevine  • UPDATED: Coconut Grove Grapevine, Stop the Lies!