Miami police are investigating the disturbing discovery near Dinner Key as city commissioners prepare to consider three proposals to strengthen animal protection laws.
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David Villano
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City Staff Withheld Budget Report Ahead of Key Vote
In the days leading up to last month’s approval of Miami’s $3.7 billion budget, a city oversight committee charged with reviewing municipal finances tried to alert commissioners to a host of potential concerns. But its report was not shared with commissioners until after the vote.
Inside City Hall: The Raises Keep Coming
A Spotlight review found that salary increases added $7.6 million to city employees’ annualized pay in just six months. And that snapshot captures only part of the story.
After Silver Bluff Damage Next Door, Madonna’s Former Estate Faces Scrutiny
Less than two years after Coconut Grove developer David Martin was cited for irreparably damaging the protected Silver Bluff outside his waterfront mansion, the owner of the property next door is seeking approval for new construction — where archaeologists have uncovered 19th-century artifacts and possible evidence of prehistoric activity.
Miami Is Moving Nearly $1 Million in Tree Money. Where Is It Going?
Commissioners will vote Thursday on shifting $996,000 out of Citywide Tree Planting and into three other projects. The move raises a larger question: How can residents track where Miami’s tree money goes?
As City Seeks $450 Million in New Bonds, an Old Project Offers a Lesson
A long-delayed community center at Armbrister Park offers a window into how Miami’s bond-funded projects move from promise to construction — and how difficult the spending can be to track along the way.
A Giant Oak, an Illegal Removal and a Not-So-Giant Fine
As city officials debate changes to Miami’s tree-protection laws, they may want to consider the case of an oak tree — by some estimates approaching three centuries old — that was removed without a permit from a property slated for development.
How Does Miami’s $1 Billion Personnel Tab Stack Up? We Did the Math
As they prepare for a final vote on Miami’s budget for the coming fiscal year, commissioners wanted to know how the city’s employee costs stack up against other big Florida cities. And the winner is…
Miami’s $3.7 Billion Budget: 5 Numbers That Aren’t What They Seem
Firefighter overtime that looks like it’s falling but isn’t. Eighteen festival grants replaced by an unidentified $2 million pot. And a capital funding gap that’s much larger than it first appears. Here are a few numbers buried in Miami’s proposed budget ahead of Thursday’s final vote.
Where Miami’s Extra Millions Would Go: The Budget’s Biggest Winners
Police and Fire-Rescue would claim almost two-thirds of the nearly $73 million increase in Miami’s General Fund, while several other corners of City Hall are in line for sizable boosts.


















