It was a busy Election Day in Coral Gables as voters set out to elect a mayor and two city commissioners that would decide which voting bloc would hold a majority in the 5-person city commission voters elected three candidates for three open seats on the Village Council Coral Gables saw a near 30% voter turnout — the highest in over two decades — with more than 10,000 voters READ MORE: Group launches recall effort for Coral Gables mayor: ‘We have to take the city back’ Vince Lago secured his third term as mayor with 55% of the vote former city commissioner and ally Kirk Menendez Lago also earns one of the five seats on the city commission “I have a body of work that has been accomplished here in the City Beautiful that speaks for itself I am transparent and have open office hours every Friday at 2 o'clock I’m willing to make and dedicate myself as a professional to what the residents of this community want,” Lago said to WLRN The Lago-supported candidates running for the other two seats also fared well Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson kept her seat with 58% of the vote is heading to a runoff as neither Tom Wells reached the 50% plus one threshold needed to win Lara is Lago’s top choice and a key component in his mission to regain control of the city commission that often sided against him and Anderson on legislation including the 101% raise and the hiring of a city manager without a formal search process Group Two Commissioner: Rhonda Anderson 58.24% ; Laureano Cancio 4.47% ; Felix Pardo 37.29% Group Three Commissioner: Richard Lara 47.20% ; Claudia Miro 13.57% ; Tom Wells 39.23% three candidates ran for three open seats on the Village Council Incumbents Neil Cantor and Jerome Charles received the highest share of the vote and will serve four-year terms while third-place candidate Patrick Barry Devaney will settle for a two-year term the top two candidates are also appointed to the mayor and vice mayors positions according to the Miami Shores election page Turnout was less than half of what the municipality saw in 2023 with only 1,017 or 14.2% of voters turning out Village Council: Neil Cantor 36.93%; Jerome Charles 39.88%; Patrick Barry Devaney 23.20% MIAMI SHORES – A man was arrested Tuesday on accusations of making a bomb threat at a Publix in Miami Shores Miami Shores police said they responded to a call of a possible bomb threat at the Publix at 9050 Biscayne Blvd around 11 a.m Authorities said a Publix employee noticed 44-year-old Christopher Kory Pike pushing a shopping cart in the back of the store while yelling officers found Pike sitting outside a nearby Walgreens police said Pike began moving toward their marked unit Police ordered Pike to stop and place the object on the ground The Miami-Dade Bomb Squad responded and determined the device was a tankless water heater When asked by officers where he obtained the device Pike made a statement that was redacted in the publicly-released report Jail records show he is facing one count each of making a false report about placing a bomb or explosive and illegal possession of a hoax bomb while committing a felony he is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. Miami Shores voters will fill three empty seats on the village council Though four candidates qualified for the race Stephanie Roberts Darring dropped out because of a family issue The ballot will still include all four candidates’ names a vote cast for Roberts Darring will not count The two candidates with the most votes will get the seats with four-year terms while the third candidate will serve a two-year term Two of the candidates are incumbents. Jerome Charles was elected in 2023. Neil Cantor was appointed by the council from 10 applicants in February 2024 after Daniel Marinberg citing Florida’s strict financial requirements The top two candidates will serve four-year terms depending on who receives the highest number of votes Whoever comes in third place will serve two years as a council member Below are profiles of the three candidates is running for his first term on the Miami Shores Village Council A recent graduate of FIU with degrees in both computer science and classical studies “I've benefited a lot from this community,” Devaney said “It's a community of diverse populations.” Devaney says he would like to support local businesses He wants to replenish the village’s small-town charm by aiding establishments hurt by COVID-19 and coaxing more people from their homes to the downtown area “A lot of people have not publicly gone to businesses as much as they did pre-COVID,” he said “We need to support our local businesses.” Devaney said he would improve technology in zoning and building permits He also wants a proper sewer system to replace leaky septic tanks “There's a lot of time to build it,” he said “That's something I would support and try to find funding for.” Affordability and growth are also important to Devaney He says the council should consider adding buildings and apartments in Miami Shores Devaney believes “it's worth considering.” He says he is actively researching the development of NE Second Avenue “I've been using certain artificial intelligence tools like perplexity to catch me up to speed on various issues and understanding geography,” he said he responded that it should be part of a strategic management plan “That's something that's already been put in place by the village manager and I need to get a better understanding of where our budget is at,” he said he works as a software developer while also building his own company called Koinonai he wants to develop artificial intelligence to create language model applications is running for his second term on the council He grew up in Clearwater and moved to the Shores in 2011 He purchased a home in 2019 after being a Realtor for eight years to stop construction of a gas station that was planned near his house “We were going to have lights all night in our backyards,” he said but dropped out in order to support others The council later appointed him to his first term in February 2024 Cantor hopes to continue protecting his community He wants village dwellers to feel represented at every council meeting “I want to give residents peace of mind,” he said “If we don't have solid resident-centric people representing the community then we have a lot of outside interests coming in and filling these seats.” Cantor believes that there are opportunities for more development on Second Avenue “but it has to be done in a thoughtful way,” he said He explained he’s already in talks with professionals to see the potential for the downtown district “I want to continue to support business down there,” he said “If there are things that we can do to support it better Cantor supports multiple projects including renovating the country club he said they are all on different timelines and it is important to utilize time as best as possible “They are all things that need to get done at the end of the day,” he said Cantor believes completing a sewer conversion is vital to any new projects and that a new community center is needed rather than remodeling a structure he said is over 50 years old to preserve anything that's already there will be more expensive than doing a new facility,” he said they run from the hallway into the gymnasium … it's the most unsafe thing and it's time to give us a new facility.” Cantor spends his time working part-time at the Italian restaurant Macchialina in Miami Beach is running for a second term on the Miami Shores council The 47-year resident of Miami Shores has a background in film and television that started in 1986 He received his B.A. in Communications from Florida State University in 1989 and up until 2020, served as an award-winning senior editor for Discovery Communications the parent company of The Discovery Channel Latin America a group of residents demanding a change of direction was looking for new candidates follow or get out of the way,” Charles said He believes two years was not enough to get the job done some plans that have been initiated or are waiting to be finalized are renovating the country club and golf course and making the transition from septic to sewer Charles wants to focus on the residents’ needs Charles is optimistic that residents will look through the details He is sure that the council will work together with the public in this process The business sector on Second Avenue is already active “but it hasn’t been optimized.” To reach its fullest potential he wants to work with the county to make the road more business and pedestrian friendly including more crosswalks and speed limits then there’s fewer customers,” Charles said Another aspect of Charles' campaign is a commitment to “preserving the single-family residential character and charm of Miami Shores,” according to his campaign website “Communities that are already established also have a right to live the lifestyle that they have chosen,” he added Charles and his wife Tabitha have raised two children in the village He enjoys riding his bicycle and walking his dogs he plays records with friends at Lost City brewery in North Miami This story is the result of a partnership between the Biscayne Times and Florida International University’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media The Biscayne Times and FIU Caplin News are news partners with WLRN Leer en español Abbott and Commissioner Kirk Menendez with 55.5% of the vote Voters in Coral Gables also voted for Group II and Group III commissioners Rhonda Anderson was elected in Group II but Group III will go to a runoff between Richard Lara Races in Coral Gables go to a runoff if a candidate fails to receive 50% plus 1 of the vote voters made their selection for Village Council A tight race was won by Jerome Charles with 39.8% of ballots cast Election results will be displayed here as they come in Sanela Sabovic MIAMI-DADE COUNTY – A 20-year-old man has been arrested after his 17-year-old girlfriend was found dead outside of his home near Miami Shores Leer en español Jail records show Dominique Domond was arrested Tuesday night on a second-degree murder charge According to an arrest report, deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office were called to Domond’s home in the 10700 block of Northeast Second Avenue shortly after 9 p.m. Monday in reference to an unresponsive female in the backyard. Deputies said they arrived at the scene and a woman identified as Ms Barthold was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:25 p.m Domond told deputies that the suspect told her that he and Barthold were involved in an argument which escalated into a physical altercation at which time he pushed his girlfriend from an elevated position out of the home via the back door She said Dominique Domond claimed that he had been attacked by Barthold and an unknown male But deputies said the suspect provided inconsistent and conflicting statements when he was questioned by detectives and eventually admitted that no one else other than himself and Barthold were involved in the incident Domond confessed to choking the victim with his hands during the altercation and then picking up her lifeless body and “throwing it in the rear yard of the residence.” showed up at the scene after law enforcement arrived desperate to know what happened to his sister “My sister was pronounced here -- nobody told me s*** -- nothing at all,” he said Domond was being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center He is expected to make another appearance in court on Thursday Vincent has launched a GoFundMe campaign for his sister, seeking public support to help cover funeral expenses. Click here for more information on how you can contribute Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio television and film from DePaul University – A 13-year-old boy escaped frequent abuse from his stepfather only to end up suffering the same fate at the hands of his mother And investigators said the young teen is not the only person she victimized is also accused of abusing a 65-year-old man — who had taken her in after seeing her and her then-toddler son living out of a car — to the point where he is now blind in one eye She “exploit(ed) his compassion and concern for her children,” police said According to an arrest report from the Miami Shores Police Department the investigation began after Jean-Baptiste reported her son missing at around 1:30 a.m The teen would later be found at a school where a woman described as his godmother works The seventh-grader described a pattern of abuse that began with his stepfather Authorities said the boy reported that his stepfather also forced him to squat “for hours at a time.” But police said after Jean-Baptiste moved the teen and his sisters to Miami Shores his mother committed the same forms of abuse The report states that he described being slapped repeatedly and being hit with a belt buckle that left a permanent scar Investigators wrote that the boy also “told us when he was bad in school his mother would make him sit in a squatted position for hours on end and never give him water.” An instance of Jean-Baptiste forcing the boy to squat while she bathed led him to run away from home The boy’s coach said a recent incident where Jean-Baptiste said “I am going to kill him,” regarding her son led school officials to contact the Florida Department of Children and Families His godmother also corroborated the abuse claims did the 65-year-old man the family was living with who said he met Jean-Baptiste nine years ago said he didn’t report the abuse because he was “scared” of her She had previously been arrested for beating him “She will jump on me,” police said he told detectives Detectives said the man “became visibly emotional and choked up when reassured that we were there to support him.” “I’d rather you worry about the kids,” police said he told them The report states that the man “was physically shaking with watery eyes and appeared to be in fear” as he described what Jean-Baptiste also did to him Jean-Baptiste “struck him across the face with a knife sharpening tool.” Police said she also knocked out one of his teeth I can’t hit her,” police said the man told detectives a male would be blamed for hitting a female.” Authorities said the man had demonstrated various locking mechanisms he had bought to keep her out of his apartment “A witness reported observing a significant and consistent pattern of abuse including multiple instances of battery on various occasions,” the report states “The victim further provided photographs from various incidents contusions and facial lacerations consistent with his account of abuse.” Portions of her alleged statements were redacted from the MSPD arrest report They said Jean-Baptiste first claimed she never hit her son or the senior and claimed she didn’t know where her son’s scars came from and said her son lost her tooth by hitting his mouth on a door at school police said she admitted the scars were from his stepfather’s abuse The report states that when confronted about the squatting she claimed she only asked him to do so for “15 to 20 minutes.” Police said she also made an admission regarding the elder abuse MSPD officers arrested Jean-Baptiste on charges of aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm and aggravated abuse of an elderly or disabled adult she was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist MIAMI – Legendary Miami Shores restaurant Mama Jennie’s will close its doors on Friday after serving South Florida for more than 54 years The restaurant owners announced the closure in a post on social media on Tuesday Leer en español The restaurant located at 11720 NE 2nd Ave in Miami has served up homemade pizza and Italian specialties since 1971 Locals and regulars would visit for weeknight dinners Mama Jennie’s still has one more South Florida location, Mama Jennie’s Pizza West in Pembroke Pines For more information about Mama Jennie’s Italian Restaurant, click on this link Veronica Crespo writes for Local10.com and also oversees the Español section of the website she graduated from the University of Miami where she studied broadcast journalism and Spanish – A police chase across Miami-Dade and Broward counties on Monday ended in an arrest after a series of attempted car burglaries with newly obtained surveillance video shedding light on the suspects’ actions Local 10′s Rosh Lowe obtained video from the Miami Shores Police Department showing a gray Dodge Durango pulling into the parking lot behind the Miami Shores Country Club The footage captures two individuals exiting the front and rear passenger seats attempting to open the door of a parked SUV but failing notices the activity and runs toward the Durango before it speeds off Miami Shores police received a report of a masked male suspect checking car doors at the country club Authorities said the suspect fled in the gray Dodge Durango with assistance from Miami-Dade police aviation confirmed that they tracked the vehicle into Broward County who has not been identified as of Monday night was seen removing the license plate before fleeing The plate was later recovered by police and the female driver was arrested near Davie Boulevard and Southwest 30th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale Police also confirmed that she has multiple outstanding warrants They said the vehicle was recovered by Fort Lauderdale police and will be processed by Miami Shores investigators Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 Amanda Batchelor – The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is investigating after they said a 17-year-old girl was found dead outside of a home late Monday night Leer en español The home is located in the 10700 block of Northeast Second Avenue near Miami Shores Investigators said the victim had been visiting her boyfriend who arrived at the scene after the death was reported The emotional scene escalated when the man briefly held a gun before putting it away to knock on the door MDSO said detectives worked through the night into Tuesday morning sealing off the busy street as they investigated the death Neighbor Vance Perotte said he didn’t hear any disturbances before noticing the police presence “Pretty much quiet -- I never heard anything,” Perotte said Perotte said a woman and her adult son and daughter live next door to him He was prompted to look outside after seeing emergency responders I was watching out the window to see if they were going to bring somebody out or something and I noticed they didn’t bring anybody out and I was thinking ‘this has to be serious,’” he added Deputies confirmed that a man was detained for questioning The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine the teenager’s cause of death and authorities have not yet released the name of the person detained in connection with the case Sign up to receive breaking news alerts from Local10.com – Police arrested one of two men suspected of an armed carjacking in the parking lot of the Miami Shores Publix over the weekend the victim told detectives that the two suspects approached her outside of the store “give me everything you have and the keys to your car.” dropped her purse and car keys,” an arrest report states Twenty-two-year-old James Javis Walden and the other man took both items Police said they spotted Walden and the vehicle in Hialeah a few hours later and took him into custody on an armed carjacking charge It’s not clear whether detectives have identified the second suspect was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Monday afternoon Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved TrendingCommercial South FloridaACategory Five bulks up multifamily portfolio with $47M purchase near Miami ShoresAventura-based firm added two garden-style lakefront complexes with a combined 196 apartments Category Five Real Estate added a pair of garden-style apartment complexes to the firm’s burgeoning South Florida portfolio of older multifamily properties In separate deals, the Aventura-based firm paid $18 million for Blue Lake Apartments at 1205 Northwest 103rd Lane, and $29 million for Lake Shore Presidential Apartments at 1260 Northwest 95th Street, Category Five principal Leon Peisach told TRD Peisach leads Category Five with his brother “Our bread and butter are Class C multifamily projects,” Peisach said “We do a light to medium value-add such as replacing the roofs and putting in new vinyl floors Once renovations are completed at its recently acquired properties, Category Five can raise the rents by about 10 percent from the current average of $1,800 a month, Peisach said. The complexes are in unincorporated northwest Miami-Dade, bordering Miami Shores and North Miami Category Five acquired Blue Lake Apartments a complex of four one-story buildings with 108 units completed 1991 in an off-market deal that also involved the buyer assuming an existing loan The purchase price breaks down to $166,666 per apartment SIGN UPThe seller, an entity managed by Aventura-based investor Leon Ojalvo, obtained an $11.8 million loan from Bank Leumi when he bought the 6.4-acre site for $15 million in 2021 A Berkadia team led by Yoav Yuhjtman brokered the deal for Lake Shore Presidential Apartments a collection of four three-story buildings with a total of 180 units an entity managed by Jacob Shakibpanah in Aventura and FIP Realty Services Established in 2021, Category Five has been on a buying binge since late 2023 when the firm picked up a six-building apartment complex in Deerfield Beach for $24.6 million The portfolio has grown to 600 units and includes three more properties in Pompano Beach Launderhill and Miami’s Little River neighborhood Category Five also installs camera security systems adds amenities such as children’s playgrounds “The assets we just closed on are in a really great area,” he said “And the bones of the buildings are very good You essentially have well-built concrete bunkers on lakes which makes both properties very attractive.” photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Access exclusive reservations with your sapphire reserve card Ryan Pfeffer We’ve never heard more South Florida farms name-dropped by servers in tableside speeches than at this moment in time But even with this growing awareness of our functional soil EntreNos has taken the all-things-local mission statement further than anywhere else in town by sourcing 99.9% of its menu from the frustratingly long state of Florida And a meal here is a series of delicate bites that make you contemplate how delicious your own backyard is operating out of the casual sandwich shop Tinta Y Cafe in Miami Shores and there are only a handful of employees running service each night cooking on a grill welded from a bed frame It does very much feel like a casual cafe here And the counter seating in front of the open kitchen provides the best view of the reason you’re here: the food and excitedly add that you can sometimes get pumpkin swordfish there if you’re early enough This meal is full of revelations like that All these invisible ingredients that surround us daily suddenly turn visible with each bite this whole farm-to-table thing is so ubiquitous it’s turned into cliche Maybe you’re lucky enough to live in a city where that’s the case Rotating Fish The fish you’ll be eating here really depends on what the fishing’s been like lately. They serve line-caught Florida fish that range from golden tilefish with scales that puff up like chicharron to grilled swordfish. Whatever you get, it’ll be cooked to a level of perfection that'll make you a little sad about all the fish you've eaten in the past. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Ryan is a native South Floridian who's written professionally about his strange home (and its cheeseburgers) for over a decade Private college and university leaders said Monday they are worried about potential cuts in the state Effective Access to Student Education which provides $3,500 annual grants to undergraduates at the private schools which will go before the House on Wednesday private schools would be required to meet several metrics for their students to qualify for EASE The metrics include overall costs of attendance student retention rates and graduation rates said he's concerned the cut will negatively affect Florida’s school-to-workforce pipeline He told WLRN: "What's gonna happen to those students who've already made the decision and are on track to be successful and stay in the state of Florida?" READ MORE: Trump's federal government hiring freeze, funding cuts leave college students scrambling Armstrong and other university leaders with the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida discussed the anticipated challenges for affordability and student readiness in a virtual press conference this week Barry University President Mike Allen told WLRN the university would try to bridge the cost gap created "It’d create nearly a $4 million gap in our financial aid bottom line," he said "That's money that goes directly to students to make the opportunity just to study here and learn here possible — and that goes away." president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida said the House proposal could affect more than 21,000 students at half of the state’s 30 private schools including Historically Black Colleges and Universities “The purpose of EASE was to create access for students to go into our institutions because the public schools can’t serve every student in Florida and they can’t produce every degree that Florida needs,” Boyd said After the House and the Senate pass their proposed budgets this week negotiations can formally start on a final spending plan for the fiscal year that will start July 1 The News Service of Florida contributed to this report MIAMI – It is difficult to associate a “Good Vibes Only” demand and a sunflower with an Amazon truck carjacking but if police officers are right about their suspect of hitting an Amazon driver in the face while wearing a red “Good Vibes Only” T-shirt on Wednesday and driving away with the truck from Miami Shores to Edgewater Leer en español Police officers investigated the carjacking at Northeast 92 Street and 10 Court and arrested Rkein at Northeast 23 Street and Second Court County inmate records show correctional officers booked Rkein shortly before 1:40 a.m. at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center His mug shot shows a sunflower tattoo peeking from his T-shirt’s V-neck Records show Rkein is facing charges of robbery/carjacking and battery/touch strike An Amazon spokesperson said no packages were stolen The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013 She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera is reducing regulations to protect Miami-Dade’s coastline and foster innovation Inspired by a meeting with a local startup using 3D printing to create eco-friendly seawalls Commissioner Cabrera introduced legislation to expand the use of short-form permits for seawall and bulkhead installations Passed unanimously by the Board of County Commissioners “These seawalls are more than just barriers—they’re a lifeline for our communities,” said Commissioner Cabrera I realized innovation was being held back by outdated regulations This legislation ensures we clear those hurdles so residents and innovators alike can safeguard our shores without unnecessary delays.” The new policy increases the allowable distance for short-form permits from 12 inches to 18 inches from the water’s edge enabling more projects to qualify for streamlined approvals This change allows faster construction of protective infrastructure and tidal impacts while fostering cutting-edge solutions like 3D-printed living seawalls Commissioner Cabrera is ensuring Miami-Dade remains resilient in the face of climate challenges all while empowering forward-thinking startups to lead the way in coastal protection This isn’t just about protecting today—it’s about building a future where Miami-Dade thrives on innovation and preparedness El Comisionado Kevin Marino Cabrera está reduciendo las regulaciones para proteger la costa de Miami-Dade y fomentar la innovación Inspirado por una reunión con una pequeña empresa emergente local que utiliza impresión 3D para crear muros de contención ecológicos el Comisionado Cabrera presentó una legislación para ampliar el uso de permisos de corto plazo para la instalación de muros de contención y espigones Aprobada por unanimidad por la Junta de Comisionados del Condado esta medida allana el camino para una protección costera más rápida y eficiente “Estos muros de contención son más que solo barreras; son un salvavidas para nuestras comunidades” “Pero durante esa reunión con la empresa emergente local me di cuenta de que la innovación estaba siendo frenada por regulaciones obsoletas Esta legislación asegura que eliminemos esos obstáculos para que tanto los residentes como los innovadores puedan proteger nuestras costas sin demoras innecesarias.” La nueva política aumenta la distancia permitida para los permisos de corto plazo de 12 pulgadas a 18 pulgadas desde el borde del agua lo que permite que más proyectos califiquen para aprobaciones simplificadas Este cambio permite una construcción más rápida de infraestructuras protectoras oleajes de tormenta e impactos de las mareas mientras fomenta soluciones innovadoras como los muros de contención ecológicos impresos en 3D Al priorizar la eficiencia y la innovación el Comisionado Cabrera asegura que Miami-Dade siga siendo resiliente frente a los desafíos climáticos mientras empodera a las startups con visión de futuro para liderar el camino en la protección costera Esto no solo se trata de proteger el presente; se trata de construir un futuro donde Miami-Dade prospere gracias a la innovación y la preparación look no further than Miami Community Newspapers This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed With topics ranging from local news to community events Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area and local initiatives within its respective community Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com Promote your business to the localized audience you want to reach with Miami's Community Newspapers. Call 305.669.7355 or view our Media Kit. TrendingDevelopment South FloridaALennar in contract to buy Barry University land downsizes proposed project to 277 townhomesMiami-based homebuilder previously planned over 600 units Lennar proposes a 277-townhouse development on Barry University land in Miami Shores marking a significant downsizing of the homebuilder’s previously planned project Miami-based Lennar is under contract to buy about 24 acres of Barry-owned land immediately west of the university’s main campus at 11300 Northeast Second Avenue according to a Barry spokesperson and a project brochure The site is between Northwest Second and Sixth avenues would consist of two-story and three-story townhouses with two-car garages It has been in the works for at least two years and would mark one of the first major developments in the area in recent years. Miami Shores is bordered to the north by the La Paloma residential neighborhood in unincorporated Miami-Dade County SIGN UPThe Miami Shores Planning & Zoning Board will consider a designation of the site as a “community residential zoning district” at a workshop on Monday The public also will be able to weigh in on the zoning designation at a public meeting on Thursday at the Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores at 11301 Northwest Fifth Avenue Following more than a dozen meetings among Lennar Barry and Miami Shores residents since 2022 Lennar scaled down The Shores from the original proposal of more than 600 townhomes and multifamily units matching the rest of the residential development in Miami Shores Lennar would designate 1.5 acres of the development site for a public park with paths a separate 1.3-acre portion of the site would be designated for Doctors Charter School The current school campus is on land the village of Miami Shores leased from Barry in 2003 Doctors Charter School and Barry collaborate on such matters as the use of facilities and science labs dual enrollment and professional development training Led by co-CEOs Stuart Miller and Jon Jaffe, Lennar has been betting heavily on Miami-Dade with new project proposals. Last month, the homebuilder dropped $28 million for a 59-acre Homestead site at East Palm Drive and Southeast 12th Avenue approved for a 296-townhouse project In Aventura, Lennar partnered with the Toledano family’s BH Group on the $17.5 million purchase of the closed 104.2-acre Presidential Estates golf course at 19650 Presidential Way which would be an addition to the existing adjacent Presidential Estates community MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Support for Pope Francis is happening here in South Florida as churchgoers attend mass including one that was held Monday with Thomas Wenski the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami The mass was held at Saint Martha’s Church in Miami Shores and whichever way it goes is in God’s hands we want to accompany him with our prayers,” Wenski said the first pope to speak to a joint session of Congress.” “He’s also a pope that has spoken very forcefully in the defense of migrants and immigrants,” Wenski added “His first trip outside of Rome shortly after being elected pope was to Lampedusa which is a small Italian island where African migrants … were washed ashore especially during this time in which there’s a lot of heightened concern over immigration and people that are feeling a bit fearful.” Several parishioners spoke about the Pope as well “It is the time we have our faith strongest to pray for the Pope with all our faith someone who donates all his life for the church so we are now here in a moment of prayers,” said Andrea Kramer “His message has always been help the least of our brothers and sisters and that is the mission and the work of Catholic Charities so we look to him as a guiding light as we do to Archbishop Wenski,” said Peter Routisis-Arroyo CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami “He is in our prayers and as archbishop so eloquently said today you know if it goes the other way he will be in the hands of the Lord and there is nothing greater than that.’” “He was the Archbishop of Argentina and he voluntarily lives a month (like) those who were in drastic living conditions just so he could empathize with those people more,” said Robert Rodriguez He has already survived surgeries and he is 88 years old willing to be with the everyday people and the poor as well.” Earlier this month, on the American policy issue of mass deportations, Pope Francis said in a letter to U.S. bishops, “Let us ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to protect individuals and families who live in fear or pain due to migration and/or deportation.” “I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters.” and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being “I have followed closely the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty persecution or serious deterioration of the environment and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness.” Francis, who has double pneumonia and the early stages of kidney insufficiency He is not in pain and is not receiving artificial nutrition Francis remained in critical condition later in the day but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work activities including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began The Associated Press contributed to this report Christina returned to Local 10 in 2019 as a reporter after covering Hurricane Dorian for the station Murrow Award-winning journalist and previously earned an Emmy Award while at WPLG for her investigative consumer protection segment "Call Christina." MIAMI SHORES — The Benjamin School’s boys golf team struggled on the first few holes of Monday’s Class 1A Region 4 tournament at windy Miami Shores Country Club but the Buccaneers rallied to finish second and secure an automatic spot in next week’s state championships Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest won the regional with a team score of 7-under 277 and Benjamin finished four strokes back 12-13 at Mission Resort + Club in Howey-In-The-Hills Benjamin is aiming for its second consecutive title and fifth overall you’re trying to get there,” said Benjamin coach Toby Harbeck “That was the main objective today – to finish first or second More: Kai Trump, Benjamin girls golf win district title at Trump International West Palm Beach The Palm Beach Post’s reigning boys’ golfer of the year had the second-best score individually Monday firing a 4-under 67 to finish two strokes behind Pine Crest’s Alexander Weinberg and two ahead of third-place finisher Ajax Lanasa from Oxbridge Academy who claimed the District 13 individual title including Oxbridge sophomore Joey Iaciofano Sophomore Brooks Colton and junior Jake Valentine each shot 73 for Benjamin I would say we played solid,” Pavel Tsar said “We got off to a terrible start,” Harbeck said We were like four or five over par after two holes they know how to fight back when things aren’t going the way they want To shoot 3-under par on this golf course is great but I’m pleased with the way I played,” Tsar said “We all knew we were a couple [strokes] back [of Pine Crest and Oxbridge] and navy shorts (with a black sleeve on his right leg underneath) watched silently seated in a golf cart most of the round rode with Tiger in the golf cart part of the way wearing a white sun hat and a long-sleeve T-shirt with “Buccaneers” printed on the front Charlie declined comment to The Post about his performance all steadily improved their scores during the round and Pavel Tsar “put the pedal to the metal when he needed to.” Despite a record-tying number of victories at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s national championship Florida resident Seth Strickland has higher goals for his amateur golf career Strickland claimed his first Florida State Golf Association title in the Forty & Over Championship at Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch with a three-stroke victory over defending champion Abbie Valentine and William Dukes and my skills are improving,” said Strickland who is the director of agronomy at Miami Beach Golf Club and Normandy Shores Golf “There are hopes and dreams in there for some bigger accomplishments.” has played in dozens of GCSAA national tournaments during the association’s annual National Conference and Trade Show since diving into the golf course maintenance business in the early 1990s he shot 6-under-par 138 for 36 holes on the Ambiente and Padre courses of Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale to win his record-tying sixth GCSAA national title Strickland won his first three in 2005-09 and has now claimed three of the last four tournaments (2021 The Forty & Over win in the ultra-competitive FSGA has rewarded Strickland with exemptions next year into the Florida State Amateur the Florida State Amateur Match Play and the Florida State Mid-Amateur “I was surprised the scoring wasn’t lower,” said Strickland “I think the golf course set up perfectly for me Those three FSGA championships in 2025 will test his game but his practice plan should have him fit for the task Strickland has a strict regimen for his workdays and an incredibly supportive wife and two children “I won’t touch a golf club during work hours It looks like all the practice finally paid off but it’s definitely tough to work all day in the sun and then find the time and energy for practice.” dedication and taking better care of myself helps There is a long list of things that have contributed to my improvement.” – Seth Strickland including more than two decades at Miami Shores Strickland has developed an extensive and vibrant golf network including getting Miami Beach and Normandy Shores ready for the upcoming South Beach International Amateur in December But he also has a substantive coterie of instructors who can assist when his game needs a tweak a south Florida legend and native South African who was the runner-up in the 1990 and 1991 U.S Strickland is adamant about crediting a quartet of friends at Miami Shores where he still practices – Ricardo Ronderos John Oyler and Alexis Garcia of Miami Beach Golf Club and Johnny LaPonzina the founder of Professional Course Management which operates the Miami Beach and Normandy Shores clubs as well as PCM general manager Alberto Pozzi “I have dramatically improved my proximity to the hole with my irons In addition to a heaping dose of confidence gained by winning the FSGA Forty & Over Strickland thinks he is playing the best golf of his life His focus has contributed to good things on the course dedication and taking better care of myself helps,” Strickland said “There is a long list of things that have contributed to my improvement.” The 2025 GCSAA national tournament on February 1-3 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla will give Strickland the chance to defend his title and go for a record seventh win We are sorry that this post was not useful for you Tell us how we can improve this post Glenna Milberg – Miami Shores police announced the arrest Tuesday of a notorious criminal who they say is accused of stealing expensive items from victims at golf courses across the nation over the past year MSPD said they responded to a report concerning a theft at a local golf course on May 30 Rolex watch and personal identification documents were taken from the victim’s golf cart during the course of play Authorities said after reviewing surveillance footage and license plate reader technology investigators traced the vehicle associated with the theft to a home in the 1700 block of South Bayshore Dr in collaboration with the Miami Police Department Miami Shores police confirmed the arrest of 54-year-old Ivan Urquiza who they say was operating under the alias “Philip Vincente.” Police said Urquiza is sought in numerous states for multiple theft-related offenses and has been evading capture since 2013 At the Miami Shores Country Club golf course “A gentleman appeared to be on the phone with a single golf club We saw the whole thing—he went to the golf bag and took out a wallet,” said Resa Strickland an operations manager with the Miami Shores Country Club who lives on Bayshore in Coconut Grove — described the swarm of police who arrested Urquiza arrest there last week Investigators said they tracked Urquiza who was coming for a date Authorities confirmed Urquiza was found in possession of the stolen property firmly linking him to the incident on May 30 Miami Shores police said they observed Urquiza on surveillance video taking “numerous items” from a patron’s golf cart at the Miami Beach Golf Club Detectives also said Urquiza used the website sugardaddy.com to dupe young women into believing he was rich while exploiting them He is known to frequent golf courses daily traversing the nation to target such venues for his illicit pursuits Jail records show Urquiza is facing one count each of third-degree grand theft unlawful possession of a stolen debit or credit card unlawful possession of five or more identifications and dealing in stolen property he was being held at the Metro West Detention Center Urquiza appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom Tuesday where a judge confirmed he has multiple out-of-state warrants for theft and probation violations has an out-of-county warrant for Palm Beach County He waived extradition on the warrants and ordered to stay away from the Miami Shores Country Club A judge also ruled he would not be able to bond out due to his existing out-of-state and out-of-county warrants Anyone who feels they have been victimized by the suspect is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or the Miami Shores Police Department at 305-759-2468 Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues She also serves as host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast BACK TO TOP TV Listings Though a group did claim the Powerball prize within the six-month deadline is it public record to know who won a big Powerball jackpot After no one claimed the Powerball lottery jackpot in the drawing for $203 million on Saturday, May 4 the prize rolled over to just shy of $215 million for the Monday The winning numbers for the Powerball lottery drawing on Monday, May 6 were 7-23-24-56-60 and the Powerball was 25 There was one other big winner other than the Florida jackpot haul in the May 6 drawing: A ticket purchased in Idaho matched 5 plus the Power Play for a $2 million prize Almost six months from the date of the $214.9 million drawing 28 email that the prize was claimed by LLEDH Who sold winning Powerball ticket worth $214.9 million in Florida Who won $215 million Powerball prize?According to the Florida Lottery The jackpot series contributed $13.5 million to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund In the May 7 news release, the lottery agency said the winner had the option of receiving their winnings in 30 annual installments or as a one-time lump-sum cash option of about $100.1 million received a $80,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket purchased the winning ticket from Publix at 9050 Biscayne Blvd. opted for the cash option: $100,110,935 via the Quick Pick ticket a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it Florida Lottery says its scratch-off tickets and Fast Play game prizes "must be claimed within 60 days of the official end-of-game date Once the applicable time period has elapsed the related Florida Lottery ticket will expire." $1.586 billion Powerball win: From small town to 'Today' show with Savannah Guthrie to $6.2 million home Powerball drawings are held at 11 p.m. EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. According to Powerball.com players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers Prizes range from $2 to the grand prize jackpot According to Florida Lottery's website winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name and amount won to any third party who requests the information." the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win a person must come forward to claim a Powerball or Mega Millions prize Powerball and Mega Millions prizes can be claimed via a trust such as the $214.9 million Powerball drawing from May 6 Mega Millions drawing for $1.58 billion — also from a Florida Publix That jackpot win was claimed by Saltines Holdings LLC in Florida The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November 2022 The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations A single ticket purchased by Edwin Castro in California won the grand prize When life gives you $2 billion prize, you buy a $25 million Hollywood dream home and another in your hometown What happens to unclaimed lottery winnings in Florida?According to the Florida Lottery state law requires 80% of unclaimed prize funds from expired tickets be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund The remaining 20% is returned to the prize pool for future drawings What are the Top 10 biggest Powerball jackpots in history?Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of Oct The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper (This story was updated with new information.) – The driver arrested for allegedly causing a deadly crash in Miami Shores is facing new charges Authorities are now charging 41-year-old Carlos Humberto Fabian with vehicular homicide, in addition to charges of DUI manslaughter and reckless driving causing in serious bodily injury The crash occurred in the early morning hours of May 19 near the intersection of North Miami Avenue and Northwest 108th Street Fabian crashed his Volkswagen Jetta into a car and a motorcycle after crossing into the southbound lanes of North Miami Avenue while driving north was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center Fabian remained in jail after being granted a $2 million bond David Dwork joined the WPLG Local 10 News team in August 2019 David has covered South Florida sports since 2007