Unpacking Miami

Gaslighting Another Black Community For Fun & Profit

Scratch beneath any story in Coconut Grove and you’ll discover the issue of race lurking. We’ll get to that eventually, but this true fable — with a twist on the race issue — starts with the approval of a Wawa gas station in the City of Coral Gables. So what? Cities approve gas stations all the time. However, this approval didn’t have any public consultation with the community, nor public hearings, both of which would normally have taken place. And, that’s ...

America’s Casablanca — A Book Review

America’s Casablanca: A “True Novel” about Miami’s Emergence from Bankruptcy and Corruption, by José García-Pedrosa, is a true eye-opener about Miami politics and how it’s been crazy after all these ...

Fighting City Hall; The Miami Corruption Tapestry — Part 2.5

This is a continuation of the August 29 post “Winker? I Hardly Know ‘Er – Part Two of the David Winker Affair”, renamed The Miami Corruption Tapestry.

An Email to the City of Miami & An Open Letter to Miami Taxpayers — The David Winker Affair; Part Three

Wake up, Miami taxpayers. You’re being played for suckers…again. And, by the same gang of crooks that fleeced you once before.

Right That Block; Block That Write ► Unpacking the Writer

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

Winker? I Hardly Know ‘Er – Part Two of the David Winker Affair

David Winker has been described by Concerned Citizen as a “disheveled heavy-set man” in the anonymous hit job — the 95 page dossier — the city used as a basis ...

The David Winker Affair – Part One

Let’s start with a generally accepted fact known by every homeowner, developer, and builder: If you send a city by-law inspector to any address, in any town in this country, ...

Bulldozing History in Coconut Grove

Say “Goodbye” to the historic Coconut Grove Playhouse while you still can. Oh, there will be something erected on the northwest corner of Main Highway and Charles Avenue, and those assholes ...

Developers Continue To Destroy Charles Avenue

As Miami City Hall develops a plan to save the historic homes in West Grove, one man is fighting to knock down 2 of them, which is 4% of what ...

Reply From the Miami Public Records Office and My Response

I have received a reply to Yet Another Open Email to Miami’s Public Records Department of yesterday. Here it is followed by my latest: Good morning Mr. Westerfield, The Public Records Division ...

UPDATED: Yet Another Open Email to Miami’s Public Records Department

EDITED TO ADD: MAJOR MEA CULPA!!! It would appear that I sent yesterday’s email to Isiaa Jones to the wrong email address, which is why it was kicked back. She ...

Commissioner Ken Russell Opens Up About Losing A Key Vote and West Grove

Ken Russell arrives for his swearing in as a Commissioner Going in, everyone knew the September 29th Miami Commission meeting was going to be a raucous affair. District 2 Commissioner Ken ...

Another Open Email To Miami’s Public Records Department

THIS IS A PUBLIC REPLY TO: Jones, Isiaa <IJones@miami.gov>SUBJECT: Frustration Over PRR 16-452: FOIA RequestDATE: September 28, 2016 CC: Melendez, Eleazar <ElMelendez@miamigov.com>; Russell, Ken (Commissioner) <krussell@miamigov.com>; Mendez, Victoria <VMendez@miamigov.com>; Hannon, Todd <thannon@miamigov.com>; ...