Amanda Batchelor According to an arrest report from the North Miami Police Department the incident occurred Wednesday night at the Burger King located at 12790 NW Seventh Ave Leer en español Police said the manager called police after noticing that two young kids were alone in the playground area with no adult present we ‘can stay there for 10 more minutes,’” a child is heard saying in the video They were given juice at the restaurant before their father Benjamin returned to the fast food restaurant at 8:05 p.m. and surveillance video showed he had left at 7:28 p.m He claimed he had asked a “random” adult there to watch his children but each adult inside the restaurant confirmed they had not been approached by Benjamin “You just never know who’s lurking around,” North Miami police Capt “Leaving the kids unsupervised for any period of time is not a safe thing Benjamin “failed to provide necessary care “Anyone who thinks that they can leave a 9-year-old and a 5-year-old alone in a public setting “Please don’t turn your back on your children Not everyone has the best of intentions out there.” Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering news for nearly two decades in South Florida Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com 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. This is a response to a recent op-ed by North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph His piece contained numerous misstatements, which we are addressing here with facts backed by public records. Documentation is available upon request at [email protected] The 25% surcharge is not used for water infrastructure Mayor Joseph claims the 25% surcharge on customers outside North Miami Beach helps maintain water infrastructure North Miami Beach’s own 2020 Revenue Bond disclosures say otherwise “outside city surcharge revenue” is excluded from operating revenues and instead “passed through directly to the General Fund.” This means the surcharge is a tax NMB officials now say removing the surcharge would cost them $5 million annually the key question remains: Where does this money go the surcharge revenue is deposited into North Miami Beach’s general fund eliminating it wouldn’t affect the operations or maintenance of the water system for any customer regardless of where they live — Miami Gardens North Miami Beach’s own bond documents confirm that the system’s rates are sufficient to sustain operations without the surcharge NMB claims it has tried to resolve this issue “neighbor-to-neighbor.” That’s revisionist history NMB privatized its water utility despite being warned that doing so would invalidate the surcharge Miami Gardens sued and won a $9 million settlement That settlement is now being paid from NMB’s general fund further proving the surcharge wasn’t used for infrastructure If the surcharge was illegally applied to Miami Gardens during privatization That would be the truly “neighborly” thing to do The ‘options’ offered were not real solutions NMB says it offered options to resolve the dispute including transitioning Miami Gardens customers to Miami-Dade Water and Sewer or encouraging Miami Gardens to build its own utility Let’s be clear: allowing Miami Gardens customers to switch to the County would breach NMB’s bond covenants NMB has secured nearly $90 million in loans based on revenue from all water customers The idea of Miami Gardens building its own utility also doesn’t hold water Florida law prohibits a new utility system in areas already served by an existing municipal utility The latest suggestion — letting Miami Gardens buy its stake in NMB Water — sounds reasonable on paper but wasn’t made in good faith It was offered at the last minute as state legislation advanced such a complex transaction requires significant due diligence it has nothing to do with whether the current surcharge is justified If NMB truly wants to sell its water utility last-minute suggestions aren’t an excuse to continue an unjust practice Some say this issue is too complicated for the public to understand It’s a simple story — one community taking advantage of another North Miami Beach has levied an unfair surcharge on residents of Miami Gardens Golden Beach and unincorporated Miami-Dade Miami Gardens simply had the courage and resources to stand up and fight back Oliver Gilbert is a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. 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North Miami Beach agreed to pay $9 million to close out the case after the Florida Supreme Court declined to hear it who sponsored the legislation with fellow Sen said the door to future surcharges needs to be shut completely which Jones amended last week so that it only applies to Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach would update Florida Statutes to specify that a municipality operating a water and/or sewer utility plant can still levy an up to 25% surcharge to cover the extra cost of providing its services to another municipality — unless the facility rendering the services is in the recipient municipality the service-providing municipality must charge the recipient municipality no more than it charges its own residents “It is time that we do right by these people,” Jones said “Because this has been going on for too long.” a Hollywood independent who voted against the measure argued the bill would cause a significant negative fiscal impact to North Miami Beach Joseph said in a Florida Politics op-ed that stripping North Miami Beach of the ability to include the surcharge in its services to Miami Gardens would lead to a loss of roughly $5 million a year we’re being asked to accept this while Miami Gardens continues charging its own residents a 10% utility tax — on water they don’t even treat or deliver If this was truly about helping residents save adding that North Miami Beach has “made every attempt to work this out neighbor-to-neighbor.” “We waived surcharges for government accounts Miami Gardens went to Tallahassee to flex political muscle.” Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner Pizzo is from Sunny Isles Beach and is a North Miami Beach water customer Reply Reply NORTH MIAMI – A 69-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after he dropped off his kids in the playground area of a Burger King in North Miami and then left were found in a “dirty state,” said they were thirsty and claimed that their father had told them that they could play there for 10 more minutes Benjamin was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where online jail records listed his bond as “to be set.” – North Miami police arrested a man on two felony charges Wednesday in connection with a February armed robbery at a Checkers in the city Leer en español robbed the restaurant at 13495 NW Seventh Ave after placing a food order just before 2 a.m An arrest report states that as an employee was bringing him his meal brandished a shotgun and got out of his SUV Police said he ordered the clerk to leave the window and he “climbed inside” through the drive-thru window to steal cash from the register the clerk “fled in fear for her life” while two other employees hid inside a rear office Authorities said they found Moricette Wednesday at a home in the 2200 block of Northwest 133rd Street in Miami-Dade’s unincorporated Westview area and took him into custody Authorities said the Bahamian national “confessed” to the crime is being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges of armed robbery and armed burglary in the Checkers case along with charges in other cases of concealed carry as an unauthorized alien His bond was listed as “to be set” in online jail records Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist A bill to end a dispute over hefty water service surcharges between a pair of Miami-Dade cities is headed to a likely final vote in the Legislature after Senate members amended and passed it by an overwhelming majority Senators voted 36-2 for the measure (HB 11) which is meant to bring parity to the way North Miami Beach delivers water to Miami Gardens It’s a complicated situation. Miami Gardens receives water from the Norwood Water Treatment Plant But the door to future surcharges needs to be firmly shut who is carrying legislation to do that for the second consecutive year it’s taxation without representation,” he said HB 11, which Jones amended so that it contains language from his companion bill (SB 202) specifying that it only applies to Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach The new language would specify that a municipality operating a water and/or sewer utility plant can still levy an up to 25% surcharge to cover the extra cost of providing its services to another municipality — unless the facility rendering the services is in the recipient municipality Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo of Hollywood and Pensacola Republican Sen He said Article VII, Section 18 of the Florida Constitution requires any legislation that causes a local government a significant financial loss — calculated by multiplying 10 cents by Florida’s population presently about $2.34 million — to include a statement of fiscal impact and the posture of this situation is that a group of people got together and went ahead and formed a city (Miami Gardens) and incorporated around a structure and if anybody’s feelings are hurt and think I’m a racist for my position Section 18 of the Florida Constitution generally provides that the Legislature can’t just pass a law that makes counties or cities pay for something unless it is determined that the law is important to the whole state The legislation must also either apply equally to everyone enable the local government to create a new funding source to raise the money or pass with a two-thirds majority in the Senate and House Proposals that won’t cost a locality much are exempt according to attorneys involved in the lawsuit and information Pizzo brought him Rosalind Osgood urged their Senate colleagues to be respectful of each other and refrain from name-calling Osgood said she was “deeply sorrowful” for how Pizzo was treated over a “difference of votes ‘We have to move forward and love and understand that democracy is something we’re going to have a difference of opinion” about “But what we’re not going to do is hate each other and call each other names that are inappropriate.” Garcia agreed and apologized for laughing after Pizzo said “We are so mindful and respectful of each other NORTH MIAMI BEACH – A crash on the water in North Miami Beach is under investigation Leer en español but to be honest with you the adrenaline was pumping,” said witness Bram Fiebelkorn The chaotic wreck on the water was captured on camera It happened in the Eastern Shores community near Northeast 17th Street and 35th Avenue around 8 p.m Video from a nearby home shows the small boat slamming into another boat that was docked along a canal before going nose up and then flipping over The same video appears to show several people swimming towards the shore after getting tossed into the water Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said all persons on board the boat were accounted for Another neighbor recoding video while standing behind his home that shows the same boat speeding and swerving to avoid another vessel before making a sharp turn and then crashing “We were more focused on helping the folks who were in the water,” said Fiebelkorn We saw a lot of folks that were just floating down the canal and we did everything we could to help them out.” Authorities have yet to confirm any details about the circumstances that led up to the crash Trent Kelly is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined the Local 10 News team in June 2018 he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville where he graduated with honors from the UF College of Journalism and Communications Christina Vazquez Christian De La Rosa – New details have been released after five people were hospitalized Saturday night after a boat collided with a docked vessel near Maule Lake in North Miami Beach Leer en español Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they were notified of the crash around 8 p.m., which was caught on surveillance video They said preliminary information indicates a vessel with one operator and seven passengers struck a docked boat said he and other good Samaritans rushed to help those in need I actually thought it was going to land in my porch here,” said Fiebelkorn “I feel like that (docked) boat saved my life It basically was a big bumper for the whole community.” “We were more focused on helping the folks who were in the water,” he added “We saw a lot of people just floating down the canal and we did everything we could to help them out.” who authorities identified Monday as Gabriel Salauis were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment there was an air pocket that provided what I think was a father and his son with enough air as it moved down the canal,” said Fiebelkorn “I was on the boat with one of the fathers and he was basically knocked unconscious got him on a fishing boat that was floating down and they just happened to jump in and help out at the same time put him on the boat and you can tell he was shaken up we transferred him over to the police boat and I think they took him off to the hospital it didn’t seem like there were any serious injuries who is a Miami Beach Fire Rescue paramedic The first responder helped one man get out of the water and then he went back in for a child believed to be under the capsized vessel “I probably went back down like maybe eight times,” said Soares “I started feeling around to see if I felt something I felt something and I started pushing -- I think it was the child I was pushing him toward the opposite gunnel and luckily the other gentleman was right there and he grabbed him The crash remains under active investigation and no other details were immediately released “I think what happened was it throttled down by mistake and in order to avoid a boat that was right in front of it it veered off to the left erratically and ended up launching off a neighbor’s boat,” said Fiebelkorn it looked like -- I don’t know if it was a confrontation or if they were friendly -- but it seemed like those two boats seemed to know each other “The boat that collided with the stationary boat here it seemed like they sped up without knowing I don’t know what the history was between those two boats but it seemed like they knew each other at some point Whether it was a confrontation or just some friendly banter back and forth Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG 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." March 9 Inter Miami CF teamed up with North Miami Island Soccer Academy to host a youth fútbol clinic at Oak Grove Park in Miami The event brought together Inter Miami CF coaches and young athletes in a celebration of community and the love of the game the Club generously donated fútbol equipment breaking down financial barriers and ensuring that players from all backgrounds have access to essential gear The event kicked off with a cultural tribute to Miami’s Haitian community featuring a high-energy Zumba session alongside traditional drumming and vibrant attire participants were divided into age groups for training drills led by Inter Miami Academy coaches culminating in a friendly match where players showcased their skills A well-earned post-training meal brought everyone together This special initiative builds on Inter Miami’s shared commitment to harnessing the power of fútbol to do good since the Club’s inception A recent federal court ruling in San Francisco temporarily protecting Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S is still sending ripples through immigrant communities — especially among Haitians With over half a million Haitians protected or eligible for Temporary Protected Status advocates see hope — though cautiously — in a climate of uncertainty That cautious optimism stems from a favorable ruling in late March by Northern California District Judge Edward Chen, who paused the loss of TPS for around 350,000 Venezuelans who were set to lose their status on April 7 Chen found that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had unlawfully reversed protections granted by the Biden administration that allow an estimated 350,000 Venezuelans to live and work in the U.S The Justice Department on Thursday, however, asked the high court to put on hold Chen's ruling TPS for Venezuelans was set to expire earlier this month DHS officials said TPS for Haitians is to end in August TPS allows people already in the United States to live and work legally because their native countries are deemed unsafe for return due to natural disaster or civil strife READ MORE: Floridians are getting glimpses of what aggressive immigration enforcement looks like The Trump administration has moved aggressively to withdraw various protections that have allowed immigrants to remain in the country including ending TPS for a total of 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians lead organizer at the nonprofit Family Action Network Movement in Miami told WLRN Chen's ruling could set a precedent “We believe that it's been a sigh of relief across the Haitian community,” Namphy said “And we are watching very closely how that plays out for Venezuela." As Namphy points out, many TPS holders — who pay taxes, own homes, and raise U.S.-born children — still lack a path to permanent residency, despite contributing over $2 billion in taxes as of 2021 according to data from the American Immigration Council and Namphy said meaningful immigration reform — for now— seems out of reach “There are efforts to basically erase us from the narrative—and physically from this country Members were alarmed to learn some Salvadorans were tortured and executed after being deported from the U.S Other designations protected people during wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kuwait and after volcanic eruptions in Montserrat There are currently 17 countries designated as TPS – A man used a machete to attack his roommate who was in bed on Sunday night at their apartment in North Miami Beach According to a police arrest report in the case Sergio Perez armed himself with a black machete and said had been drinking before the attack shortly after 11:40 p.m. and he managed to grab the blade to disarm him Deputies reported finding the victim injured outside of the apartment with the machete Fire Rescue personnel treated him for “minor lacerations” to his hands and took Perez who also suffered hand lacerations to Jackson Memorial Hospital Inmate records show correctional deputies booked Perez at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Court records show prosecutors filed the North Miami Beach Police case against Perez for attempted murder Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch is set to preside over the case Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Mercedes Cevallos contributed to this report 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 New Miami-Dade County location will host grand opening celebration Friday a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the U.S., today announced the opening of a new medical cannabis dispensary in North Miami Beach A grand opening celebration will be held Friday and opportunities to register for upcoming patient education sessions "We are proud to expand access to medical cannabis in Miami-Dade County," said Trulieve's Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers "We look forward to serving patients and caregivers at this new location with our affordable high-quality products and elite customer experience." offering walk-in and express pickup service The new dispensary will carry a wide variety of popular products including Trulieve's portfolio of in-house brands such as Alchemy Customers will also have access to beloved partner brands such as Alien Labs all available exclusively at Trulieve in Florida Investor ContactChristine Hersey, Vice President of Investor Relations+1 (424) 202-0210[email protected] Media ContactPhil Buck, APR, Corporate Communications Manager+1 (406) 370-6226[email protected] (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) ("Trulieve" or "the Company") a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the U.S. Supplementary Medicine Cannabis Retail Health Care & Hospitals Do not sell or share my personal information: – A 32-year-old man is facing hate crime charges for stabbing a transgender woman at her home in North Miami Beach Leer en español Police arrested Joseph Lawrence White on three felony charges on Wednesday in connection with the Feb the victim is dating the suspect’s brother and she has known White for “several years” and the two lived with each other at some point But an arrest report states that the pair “have never liked each other due to the victim’s sexual orientation.” his brother and their mother had recently moved to south Miami-Dade a few weeks prior to the incident but they came back to the 2100 block of Northeast 167th Street to get a speaker police said a verbal argument broke out and White called the victim a “f----t.” “The victim replied back that (White) was the ‘f----t,’” police wrote in the report That led White to punch the victim in the face when she picked up a skillet to defend herself White wrestled the skillet away and then stabbed her in the chest with a pair of scissors Authorities said the woman defended herself with a broom at which point White threw a candle at her the victim tried running after him but was feeling weak due to blood loss She was eventually taken to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital The report states that Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested White in an unrelated case Thursday and he was brought to North Miami Beach police headquarters for questioning Police said he refused to speak with detectives They arrested him on charges of attempted murder aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and battery with prejudice he was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center – A North Miami Beach home was destroyed in a fire early Wednesday morning Leer en español along Northwest 137th Street and 20th Lane 11 units responded to the scene and found that the home was fully engulfed in flames the home was vacant at the time and no injuries were reported MDFR officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation outdoor entertainment venue The Nomi Village has hosted numerous community events in North Miami. However according to owners Aston McEwan and Vic Jean Claude attracting visitors from surrounding municipalities has been difficult “Updating the area and bringing different things to attract different people into the community — that's needed,” said McEwan speaking at a recent symposium hosted by the city to discuss the future of North Miami’s 7th Avenue Corridor “We feel that the Seventh Avenue corridor has been neglected for years,” Jean Claude added McEwan and Jean Claude may soon get their way however — if all goes according to the city’s plan presented by North Miami CRA board member and Councilmember Pierre Frantz Charles the city highlighted a new plan to revitalize the corridor moving forward City officials hope to transform the often-overlooked 7th Avenue Corridor into a dynamic The end result would be a regional hub where residents “can live “This corridor is a key part of our community and its revitalization promises to boost economic growth and enrich our cultural landscape,” said North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme “Our goal is to make Northwest Seventh Avenue a major regional hub center as well as creating more job opportunities for residents.” Interim city manager and CRA Executive Director Anna-Bo Emmanuel noted that the redevelopment of Northwest Seventh Avenue is one of the North Miami CRA’s key priorities A key component of the revitalization is a façade grant program to help local businesses improve storefronts Frantz Charles also discussed an interlocal agreement between the North Miami CRA and the county to secure funding for the transformation we can now bring long-dreamed-of changes to reality in the corridor,” he said announcing $1 million allocated for the project Architectural firm Synalovski Romanik Saye Architects (SRS) has been working for five years to create design guidelines for the area aiming to enhance the streetscape through thoughtful design interventions while avoiding large-scale demolitions The initiative will also focus on improving public safety Architectural features like textured façades and updated parking areas will also play a key role in transforming the avenue Tree-lined streets and green spaces will enhance the pedestrian experience while improving traffic flow and ADA accessibility will ensure the area remains inclusive for everyone When asked about the impact of financial challenges and leadership instability on revitalization efforts Frantz Charles acknowledged the obstacles but remained optimistic He emphasized that having a clear plan for the area is essential for long-term success "Sometimes the captain won’t be there forever we need to ensure that leadership understands the vision and keeps moving forward.” Frantz Charles also noted that the city does not own the properties on Northwest Seventh Avenue "We are working with some owners who want to move and others who want to be part of the conversation and then see if we can do something like private and public ownership,” he said “We want to make sure that we are moving the corridor and change it for one big destination,” he added last week’s symposium was an opportunity to understand what the corridor might look like in five to ten years with people from other areas to support through taxes and patronizing businesses it creates a win-win situation for everyone,” Jean Claude said he emphasized the need for the community to continue to push for improvements Kelvin Pinero of Pinero Real Estate believes the corridor has potential especially given the high traffic from nearby highways he believes the key to unlocking that potential begins with improving the properties in the area While his building is one of the newest developments on the corridor he stressed how many landlords still need to update theirs the better the overall look of the corridor will be," Pinero explained Developer Lynda Harris shared her vision for mixed-use developments along the corridor She plans to develop residential and commercial properties to take advantage of the area’s prime location The North Miami CRA has additionally partnered with Florida International University’s Jorge M Pérez Metropolitan Center to analyze the area’s changing demographics and business environment the number of prime working-age adults (ages 25-54) grew by 3,000 but their population share declined from 42.2% to 39.4% the senior population is rapidly increasing the team revealed a stark contrast in income levels across the city The corridor has a significant working-class population with much lower income levels than the broader county or market area Researchers also presented findings on local businesses revealing that 64% of businesses on the corridor were founded between 2020 and 2024 many of these newer businesses face challenges such as limited resources and insufficient access to capital-labor market competitiveness The North Miami CRA plans to roll out specific grant programs for the area in the next few months CRA Deputy Director Casneve Oupelle explained that the initiative would be implemented block by block with the first step being the development of policies and programs for board approval Assistance will also be provided to small businesses including training and boot camps to help them grow a firm start date for full-scale redevelopment has yet to be set Emmanuel assured that tangible changes should happen within the next 18 months She encouraged attendees to stay informed about future community events noting that the symposium was only the first of several within the revitalization process This story was produced by The Miami Times, one of the oldest Black-owned newspapers in the country, as part of a content sharing partnership with the WLRN newsroom. Read more at miamitimesonline.com NORTH PORT – McDowell Housing Partners completed construction of the first phase of Ekos at Arbor Park, a 136-unit affordable apartment community for residents age 55 and older. The $40 million complex at 1320 Citizens Parkway includes 76 one-bedroom and 60-two bedroom apartments available to people making 20% to 70% of the Area Median Income Rents are anticipated to be between $330 and $1,235 a month for one-bedroom units and $385 and $1,471 for two-bedroom units “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the completion of the first phase of Ekos at Arbor Park It’s an incredibly well appointed and managed community with rent levels that are far lower than anywhere else in North Port and Sarasota County,” Chris Shear Ekos at Arbor Park Phase I is accepting applications at https://www.ekosarborpark.com The Miami-based company first proposed the 55-and-older community in 2020 and received funding in 2021 The complex is just west of The Shoppes at Price Crossing the Publix-anchored shopping center at the intersection of Price and Toledo Blade boulevards Amenities include a clubhouse with a multipurpose social/community room media center and outdoor grills on the lanai overlooking the resort-style pool Forum Architecture and Interior Design served as the architect and MHP-Hennessy Construction a joint venture between MHP Builders and Hennesy Construction Services was the general contractor The apartments range in size from 700 square feet to 946 square feet Each apartment offers kitchens incorporating energy efficient appliances granite countertops with tile back-splashes Residents can also participate in numerous service programs including quarterly financial planning courses Last winter, North Port city leaders cleared the way for construction of 66 affordable apartments and approved changes to the development master plan for Ekos at Arbor Park II on the southeast corner of Price Boulevard and Citizens Parkway The change allows for construction of three three-story buildings and 7,779 square feet of commercial space on about 4.4 acres Shear noted that McDowell Housing Partners is close to securing the property for those homes “We remain dedicated to addressing the housing crisis in Sarasota County as we advance toward the closing of the land adjacent to Phase 1 where Ekos Arbor Park Phase II will be built providing an additional 66 high-quality affordable apartments to families and individuals of all ages,” he  added The community was funded through 4% tax credits purchased by Wells Fargo Freddie Mac permanent senior debt and subordinate loans from Florida Housing Finance Corporation who along with his son Jackson Boone represented McDowell Housing Partners stressed that the new units will benefit residents who earn less than the area median “What we're proposing here is real affordable housing,” Boone said The current proposal calls for 12 units to be available to households that earn up to 30% AMI which would mean $21,150 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four; 18 units to rent to households that earn up to 60% of AMI; and 36 units would be rented to those earning up to 70% AMI – A 38-year-old North Miami Beach man has been arrested on a child abuse charge after school staff noticed bruising on his son’s legs and reported the incident to police Leer en español The North Miami Beach Police Department said officers responded to John F Kennedy Middle School on Monday just before 4 p.m after staff members reported a possible case of child abuse the boy complained of irritation and discomfort while sitting Authorities said they discovered bruising on the back of both legs and notified the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department breaking tiles on the porch of an unknown residence who then told him to go to his room and face the wall police said the boy told them that Campbell struck him multiple times with a belt on his buttocks and legs adding that he continued feeling discomfort for two days The Florida Department of Children and Families was contacted and responded to the school Police said the father voluntarily went to the North Miami Beach Police Department for questioning While his statement was redacted in the publicly released report police said Campbell was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Jail records show he is facing one count of child abuse with no great bodily harm More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter No sane driver in South Florida would willingly sit for hours in traffic — but come Dec people from all parts of Miami-Dade County will make the trek to Enchanted Place in North Miami to see the neighborhood come alive with holiday lights appropriately named after the nearby Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park passengers marvel at the multicolored lights coiled around tree trunks while twinkling stars sway from its branches Some have snowmen on their driveways or Star Wars characters on the roof Others have reindeer and animatronic nutcrackers READ MORE: Miami City Ballet’s swan song for a Sugar Plum Fairy in the ‘Nutcracker’ “I always tell everybody who's interested in buying [and] gonna live on this street you need to like Christmas,” said Ken DiGenova the president of the neighborhood's homeowners society He inherited a 36-year tradition of rounding up his neighbors to festoon their houses with holiday lights and decorations It started with two households who engaged in friendly competition over who had the more festive decorations DiGenova works with AT&T Pioneers a volunteer organization that supports initiatives to assist needy communities he rents a bucket truck and offers to install the lights for all of his neighbors DiGenova said that he does not force anybody to participate but he found that people wanted to get into the holiday spirit Marsha Baim used to live on Enchanted Place She was in the neighborhood Sunday night and wanted to take her four-year-old daughter to see the lights “I did not know that it was the crazy Christmas light street you can't not want to participate,” she said she wasn't used to decorating for Christmas stringing blue and white lights and a Star of David It's not that fun to live here during this time because you literally can't get in and out — you need like an extra hour,” she said she’s been surprised by the increased volume of traffic as the location gets more exposure on social media he said he was brought to tears when a child came up to his door with a note Like … I didn't realize how many people we made happy,” he said The neighborhood tradition has attracted generations of families — like Taryn and Victor On-Sang who have been going to the Enchanted Place since they were young “We all like the lights and it's so close to home and [it’s] just something that we look forward to every year,” Taryn On-Sang said The Christmas lights turn on every day at sunset and will stay up until Jan Neighborhood volunteers monitor and help direct the traffic as well as take donations that go toward community organizations like the Ronald McDonald House Keep up with South Florida's arts and culture scene by signing up for The A/C Newsletter. Every Wednesday, the A/C will offer a curation of stories and deep dives that celebrate South Florida's arts community. Click here to subscribe – A North Miami man has been arrested after police said he attacked his ex-girlfriend last year during an argument over a food order Leer en español was taken into custody on Tuesday after the victim reported the assault to the agency who had been in a three-year relationship with Castro and lived with him for nine months told police that a argument escalated when Castro struck her in the head with a trash can lid punched her in the chest and repeatedly pushed her against a wall at the couple’s home on May The victim said her head hit the wall during the attack She was then pushed out of the apartment by Castro Police said when the victim regained consciousness she recalled seeing a witness and being in the hospital the victim told police she “permanently lost her sense of taste and smell,” the report stated Police said the victim provided them with photos and videos of her injuries as well as three large knots on the back of her head The victim’s sister told police she was called by Castro to pick up the victim she saw Castro grab the victim by the back of her neck and push her out of the apartment The victim later fainted at her sister’s residence prompting a response from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue They said Castro voluntarily went to the North Miami Police Department where he was read his rights and gave a statement Police said Castro denied striking the victim in the chest and determined that his statements were inconsistent Jail records show Castro is facing one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm Records show he was on probation for previous charges of first-degree grand theft and organized fraud of $50,000 or more There is help in South Florida for individuals who are the victims of domestic violence. Call 800-799-7233 or click here for more information – A 30-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday after authorities said witnesses reported seeing her kicking and choking her dog at a restaurant in North Miami North Miami police said officers responded to Katz Restaurant and Lounge after receiving a disturbance call around 6 p.m who is listed as homeless in an arrest report kick her dog “like she was punting a football” before picking it up several feet off the ground and choking it with its own leash A second witness reported hearing the dog cry and witnessing Noel hitting and slapping the dog approximately four to five times They said officers arrived at the scene and later made contact with Noel who was taken into custody without incident Noel made a confession that was redacted in the publicly released report Authorities said the dog was transported to Miami-Dade Animal Control for care A motive for the alleged abuse remains unclear at this time Jail records show Noel is facing one count of animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill she was being held on a $5,000 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center – A North Miami megachurch has attracted thousands of followers and lots of attention for its size and $60 million price tag to build The Haitian-born pastor says he has the power to heal people from deadly illnesses The sprawling church campus spreads across six acres in northern Miami-Dade County in comes car after car as they arrive by the thousands The Tabernacle of Glory is a non-denominational multilingual megachurch boasting of more than 25,000 active members and capable of seating 2,500 in its new fellowship hall in North Miami Local 10 News anchor Calvin Hughes asked Toussaint what the secret sauce is for his church “Number one is the presence of God,” he said “People come to church to encounter with the divine And the second element that attracts them is From starting a business to expanding their education worshippers can find divine solutions to their problems in classrooms inside the 60,000-square-foot church “How does my faith help me become a better student How can I be successful in school applying certain principles?” said Toussaint What I find in the Bible I teach and what I don’t find He says he first got his call to teach and preach when he heard a voice at 14 years old And there were small beginnings for the now big-time pastor at a Bank of America building in North Miami and then North Miami High School “There is something about renting that threatens the longevity and life of a church,” said Toussaint with members donating more than $1 million from its more than 60 campuses where more than 1 million people follow on YouTube alone And some who follow have stinging rebukes of the church’s size and cost One person called it a “cemetery led by Gregory Toussaint” and another questioned “Why not build a beautiful restaurant or a supermarket?” I think it’s a question of value,” Toussaint said Toussaint has faced even more fiery feedback for what he says are miracles in the church “It is your faith connecting with the presence of God that makes it happen,” said Toussaint anybody would have believed we can do this as a church Eight-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes anchors WPLG-Local 10’s 4 – Two North Miami residents are suing over a developer’s plan to build in their neighborhood The 22-story building with 267 residential units would rise at 12000 N It’s down the street from Hernando Barreto’s place and he believes it’s at odds with the area’s low-rise residential community citing impact concerns like infrastructure The site is currently occupied by the 45-unit, 1981-built Mariners Bay condominium building, according to Condo Blackbook “This area floods very easily; the project will make flooding worse,” Barreto said “The pipes need to be changed to accommodate more and if they are only doing their part it is not enough to provide a solution for the entire island Those draining pipes that need to be changed forcing people and families to walk on the street “That could be dangerous because adding 500-plus cars to the small narrow road with the new project,” he added Barreto also explained that the Champlain Towers South collapse paired with a new report about some buildings sinking He believes the city is not doing enough regarding a geotechnical engineering evaluation of the waterfront parcel “The higher that you go here,” Barreto said “the deeper you need to go here,” pointing to the floor that is going to affect the balance in ground settlement They (the city) are not willing to do any study about what will be the impact to this (his) building,” he said Could this building (his building) be structurally impacted (if a larger tower goes up next to them) “The traffic through (123rd Street) and this passage through Bal Harbour is increasing and then all these developments are going to make traffic even worse,” Barreto noted “We are challenging the conditional use permit,” he stated asking the court to quash the city’s decision to grant a conditional use permit that would allow the developer to build a taller building here with more units than what is typically permissible “That is a major change; it is more than double what is usually allowed,” Barreto explained he is citing what he believes have been procedural irregularities “A questionable process to get this project approved.” talked about the projected tax income directly to the city and the economic impact of increasing the tax base He highlighted what the developer believes are community benefits like stormwater management and streetscape improvements as well as enhancing the seawall by two feet we are going to increase the sea wall two more feet Barreto also says the city should have a more holistic view of how all new developments they are reviewing in the area could impact traffic congestion and infrastructure Local 10 News reached out to the developer company executive David Fischman said: “As a matter of policy we do not comment about the on-going litigation that the conditional use permit approval at issue complies with the City’s land development regulations Any contrary suggestion by the challengers is simply inaccurate We wish to further emphasize that this is a great project that will provide meaningful and long-lasting benefits to the City of North Miami and its residents.” Barreto showed Local 10 News a letter he received from the city letting him know city commissioners and the mayor plan to review the developer’s application and site plan at the next city council meeting was not yet posted to the city’s website at the time of publication A Miami-Dade County official told Local 10 News “The Department of Transportation and Public Works’ (DTPW) Transportation Engineering Division reviewed a traffic impact study submitted through the DTPW permit system and we currently have no record of any resubmissions.” By Ivonne Yee-Amor The fans have voted and it’s a repeat win for Best Brewery and Best Bite at this year’s North Miami BrewFest Beer and food lovers attending the 12th annual event cast their votes and seems they just couldn’t get enough of the independent and FIU alumni-owned craft brewery and Argentinian favorite La Birria Bar’s mouth-watering burgers “We’re so happy to have won the #1 Best Brewery award for the second year in a row,” said Rudy Delgado “Thanks to all of our fans who voted for us we couldn’t have done it without you,” added co-owner Nearly 1,500 guests attended the festival at The Nomi Village in North Miami on Saturday Guests got a chance to try more than 100 beers and beverages from 35 craft breweries and taste delicious dishes from nearly two dozen of South Florida’s most unique restaurants Then fans used coins to vote for their favorites The Nomi Village in North Miami hosted North Miami BrewFest for the second year in a row won third place for their unique take on eggrolls like their Philly Cheesesteak and Bang Bang Shrimp best sellers allowing me to reach people that had never had my food and gave me a chance to see what they loved about it and how I can get better,” said Gerard Powell including craft brewers and beverage makers: 1st place Rocketeer Beer & Liquid Provisions 2nd place Brewsaki 3rd place Lemon Dade Seltzer Two local hamburger restaurants and a food truck won fan favorites for best bite: 1st place La Birria Bar 2nd place El Desembarco 3rd place Taste Good Miami More than 50 FIU alumni and students helped produce the event, which supports FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and its bachelor’s degree in beverage management Receive daily FIU stories and updates directly to your inbox Eileen Bicaba reflects on the past seven years of her life with sadness and frustration Her home in North Miami has become a battleground against unrelenting flooding What was once a peaceful suburban retreat has since become a source of constant stress flooding has made Bicaba’s street impassable damaging her backyard and causing mold and sewage backups a coastal city vulnerable to rising sea levels and climate change But for residents of Northeast Third Court the problem is no longer occasional; it’s a recurring disaster Bicaba dates the beginning of the worst back to 2018 when a nearby development first touched down on her street She claims flooding has worsened significantly since the Citadel Plaza Project — a large commercial development next door to Bicaba’s property — broke ground followed by the neighboring North Miami SmartStop Self Storage development and the soon-to-come Delmas Homes Apartments filed a lawsuit against the property owners and 135 Memorial LLC of negligence in stormwater drainage The Bicabas argue that actions such as clearing and elevating the land led to severe water runoff onto their property causing continuous flooding and significant damage the Bicabas have lived in their home without significant flooding “We had one instance during Hurricane Irma We’d never had to deal with this kind of flooding before.” everything changed in 2018 when construction on the Citadel Plaza Project began at 13400 N.E South Florida’s heavy rain soon overwhelmed the neighborhood and Bicaba’s property was one of the hardest hit 135 Memorial “cleared and elevated the land where the Storage Unit was built causing more stormwater runoff onto the Plaintiff’s property.” The same year the LLC also “cleared and elevated the Delmas Homes property without authorization worsening flooding in the Plaintiff’s backyard and the street,” reads the complaint “My understanding is that this area has historically been prone to flooding and stormwater issues for many years,” Flores said in an email further noting his disagreement with the complaint He did not specifically address whether his company elevated the land before refusing further comment The Miami Times reached out to the other involved parties and their attorney but received no response by the time of this publication The lawsuit claims that defendants have installed multiple berms in attempts to reduce flooding though Bicaba says they’ve been ineffective On Oct. 22, 2024, the North Miami City Council approved a site plan for Delmas Homes to develop an 18-unit building the construction will worsen flooding and sewage spills on their property The city’s resolution identified 135 Memorial as the property owner though it was around this time that the LLC was finalizing its sale to Delmas Homes LLC While the lawsuit doesn’t name the city as a defendant yet said that could change depending on future investigations and we have the right to bring the city in at any time if necessary,” Gastesi said "We are retaining experts to help us with that and I want to see what the defendants have to say and all of the communications between the defendants and the city citing poor drainage and improper construction techniques that worsened the water flow It argues that the flooding isn’t just inconvenient but violates property rights and makes the home “uninhabitable.” “The bottom line is that you have to understand that you have to contain water on your property under Florida law and the common law,” Gastesi said “You can't flood somebody else's property.” The Bicabas are seeking an injunction requiring 135 Memorial to cure and abate the flooding on their property along with damages exceeding the sum of $75,000 The complaint further requests a trial by jury Bicaba’s daily life is filled with anxiety ‘Is this going to be the big one?’” she says Her family struggles with impassable roads and limited mail delivery Despite investing in repairs like French drains and sump pumps kitchen cabinets and even the house’s structural stability Bicaba said she has contacted every city official since 2018 and lobbied for drainage funds in Tallahassee After writing to the county complaining about the city's inaction in an email titled “sold and abandoned,” the city finally cited the Citadel for flooding — seven years after the issue started The notice informs Citadel that it violates the City of North Miami Code noting a “public deficiency in the water/drain retention system.” Bicaba criticized the city for breaking its promises to improve drainage, citing a 2022 commitment: The NE 3rd Court Stormwater Drainage Improvements project, scheduled for 2023-2024 with construction expected to finish by June Bicaba’s frustration peaked when she attempted to return home during a rainstorm “I had to go back out in the floodwaters to put sandbags in place,” she said “The flood water was so high that the sandbags displaced the water into the house I was so overwhelmed that day that I wept.” Bicaba shed tears at a city council meeting pleading with officials to “stop flooding her.” Several neighbors have joined her in the fight who has lived on Third Court for over 35 years agrees with Bicaba that the flooding began after Citadel Plaza’s construction started He expressed frustration with the city’s failure to review plans and address drainage issues properly “The first step you take is to tell the developer we gotta put in a drain system because you're gonna flood this block Rivera shared his ongoing anxiety about the flooding The Miami Times contacted City of North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme and Councilwoman Mary Estime-Irvin who represents the area where the Bicabas live the communications department said they cannot comment on any active litigation Bicaba hopes her lawsuit will address damages to her home and highlight what she sees as the government’s and developers’ failures to protect the community not just for the damages but for the hell we’ve lived through for seven years,” Bicaba said Every one of our rights has been violated.” – North Miami Beach officials allowed Crestview Towers residents to come back home but some residents said their nightmare wasn’t over Leer en español It took nearly four years of repairs and inspections for city officials to recently announce that they had deemed the building to be safe who co-owns an apartment at Crestview Towers said the structure built in 1972 may be safe but her apartment is far from inhabitable “They fixed the balconies but the windows are destroyed,” Mora said Structural safety concerns prompted city officials to order a rushed evacuation on July 2 but residents still had to pay their condo fees City officials reported Crestview Towers was about 9 years delinquent on the 40-year recertification that was required by law The city’s urgency to evacuate about 300 people from the 156 units followed the Champlain Towers South collapse killing 98 on June 24 Firefighters responded to Crestview Towers during a fire on Aug It appeared to have been an electrical fire Mora said the experience has been draining for her and her family She doesn’t have the money they need to make the fixes required to move back Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill Chris Gothner MIAMI – Former North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony DeFillipo pleaded guilty to two criminal charges in a case brought in 2023 after authorities accused him of voting thrice in city elections while actually living in an entirely different county Leer en español pleaded guilty Monday as part of a deal with prosecutors to voting as an unqualified elector and violating election residency requirements If he had gone to trial for the five original counts he could have been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years and 60 days in prison Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him from office following his May 2023 arrest DeFillipo was accused of voting using a North Miami Beach address despite selling the property in 2021 Prosecutors alleged he lived in Davie instead but continued to vote and hold office in North Miami Beach His attorneys had previously characterized the case as a “political hit job.” DeFillipo will be required to perform 200 hours of community service and forfeit any right to hold public office He will be allowed to seek early termination Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010 Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard FIU Hospitality offers discount to the FIU family staff and students over 21 can use the promo code FIUFAM15 for a 15% discount on tickets “North Miami BrewFest started as an idea in our classroom by students and their professor so we want to make sure that the FIU community has a chance to attend to help support our school and the future leaders of beverage management and hospitality,” said Mohammad Qureshi North Miami BrewFest director and faculty administrator Last year's winners of Best Brewery at the 2023 North Miami BrewFest will be back again this year For the first time this year, North Miami BrewFest is excited to announce a number of big sponsors like MUV, Checkers Rally's, Henckels Zwilling offering up a cooking demo and the Homestead-Miami Speedway which will be showcasing vehicles fresh off its NASCAR Cup Series Playoff FIU Chaplin School student run organizations such as the Bartender’s Guild from the Bacardi Center of Excellence program will be showcasing their craft beer cocktails Chef John Noble Masi will be serving up the best from the FIU's only student-run and award-winning restaurant called the FIU Bistro and Professors Barry Gump and Albert Rivera "We hope this discount allows even more FIU alumni and friends to join us for the best all-inclusive beer festival in South Florida," ended Qureshi To purchase tickets, please visit NorthMiamiBrewfest.com or Eventbrite Trent Kelly Rosh Lowe Leer en español Authorities said Wilton “Frieza” Mena came home from work on Oct in the area of Northeast 167th Street and 18th Avenue when he was shot to death This is a family that is hurting and needs answers,” said Juan Pinillos an interim police chief with the North Miami Beach Police Department Police released surveillance video Friday showing the moments before they said Mena was shot to death authorities said Mena’s body was found several hours later by two children walking to school “This is a highly traveled area there’s a footbridge over there and a lot of people walk through here So were hoping that someone may have been walking by may have seen a vehicle,” said NMB Detective Zoila Exclusa spoke through tears at Friday’s press conference urging any witnesses to come forward to bring justice to their family “He was not just a nephew; he was a father We’re begging for someone to call and say something that can give us the justice he deserves My family was killed; tomorrow it could be yours.” spoke exclusively with Local 10 News last month “There’s no sign of why that happened,” as they struggle to understand the senseless tragedy North Miami Beach police have released few details about the incident The family has no indication that Wilton Mena had any enemies or conflicts Wilton Mena would read the Bible with his boys a ritual the family says they’ll miss deeply The family continues to pray for answers as police ask the public for any information that could help bring justice Mena’s family created a GoFundMe account to help pay for his funeral expenses. Click here if you would like to contribute Anyone with information that leads to an arrest or arrests will be eligible for a $5,000 reward and should contact Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or visit CrimeStoppers305.com Local 10 viewers can watch the press conference in the video below Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved COCONUT CREEK – A 30-year-old North Miami Beach man was killed early Tuesday morning in a crash on Florida’s Turnpike in Coconut Creek FHP troopers said the crash happened around 1:47 a.m in the southbound lanes near Mile Marker 66 whose identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin was driving a 2016 black Toyota RAV4 when he veered into the inside emergency lane for unknown reasons and collided with the rear of a parked 2020 red Freightliner tractor-trailer The impact caused the SUV to rotate and come to rest facing northeast authorities said Coconut Creek Fire Rescue transported the driver to Broward Health North but authorities did not disclose his condition No other details about the crash were immediately released – The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Bureau asked for the public’s help Thursday in identifying a suspect wanted in an arson investigation Leer en español Surveillance video obtained by Local 10 News captured a man walking toward a vehicle with what appears to be a red gasoline can around 5 a.m Deputies said the suspect then ignited the “unknown object” and hurled it at the vehicle Anyone with information on the suspect’s identity or whereabouts is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest – Authorities are searching for the people who fled from law enforcement Thursday night leading to a chase that ended in North Miami the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed to Local 10 News Leer en español troopers were assisting Pembroke Pines police in locating a Honda SUV that had been stolen when troopers intercepted the vehicle in North Miami Camacho said troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop leading to a short pursuit that ended with troopers conducting a PIT maneuver disabling the stolen vehicle in the area of Northeast 126th Street and 12th Avenue The suspects inside the vehicle fled the scene after the crash and remain at large Anyone with information about the identities of those in the stolen vehicle or their whereabouts is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477