To the editor: After 56 years of cutting hair in the West Grove with a couple of location changes, progress caught up to Charles Thomas Williams. The quaint blue building that housed his barber shop on Grand Avenue was scheduled to be demolished. The official deadline was September 30 and,[Read More…]
Letters to the Editor
Spotlight readers weigh in on community topics.
A Cri de Couer: Save Coconut Grove
To the editor: Imagine standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming at the top of your lungs. Your heart is racing, tears are flowing, and your fear is physically visible — yet no one moves to help. Around you, it is simply “business as usual.” This is the[Read More…]
Preserving the Soul of West Coconut Grove
To the editor: Walk south from Grand Avenue into the quiet residential streets of West Coconut Grove and you will find something increasingly rare in South Florida: small wooden cottages, shaded yards, and homes that feel connected to the past. Many of these modest houses were built by Bahamian settlers[Read More…]
Jurisdictional Issues Complicate a Solution to the E-Bike Problem
To the editor: The state e-bike legislation that passed the State Senate on Feb. 25 will most certainly be enacted into law. It is now in the State House and is expected to pass the State Legislature this week. How much would it help the residents of Coconut Grove? My[Read More…]
Grovites: Let’s Get This Done!
To the Editor: I’ve supported the Stronger Miami campaign publicly for more than eight months, and One Grove Alliance — along with other civic and neighborhood groups — has been part of the coalition coordinating this effort across Miami. I believe Miami’s neighborhoods deserve better representation — and voters deserve[Read More…]
Enough Protest. Let the County Rebuild the Playhouse
To the Editor: Regarding A Tallahassee Twist in the Playhouse Drama, I wouldn’t trust that Fabien Basabe as far as I could throw him. He says one thing and either doesn’t follow through or does another thing diametrically opposed to the first thing. Bay Harbor Islands has nothing to do[Read More…]
Traffic Calming for Elizabeth Street: What About Us?
To the Editor: In September 2021, Elizabeth Street neighbors, led by lifelong Grovite Miriam Wedderburn, submitted a traffic study request to the City of Miami to determine if our street was eligible for traffic calming in the form of a speed table, speed bump, or other suitable traffic calming device[Read More…]
When Flooding Isn’t a Clogged Drain, but a Design Flaw
To the Editor: Flooding in Coconut Grove — and increasingly across Miami — is often described as a problem of clogged drains or delayed maintenance. In some locations, that may be true. But in others, including my intersection on Day Avenue, the issue runs deeper and deserves a clearer technical[Read More…]
South Bayshore sidewalk closure
To the Editor: Thank you for your article highlighting the South Bayshore sidewalk closure. The situation is, in fact, even more serious than portrayed in the article. First, sidewalk closures are not intended to be used in this manner. They should be measured in hours, not in days, weeks, or[Read More…]
Bring Back the Barnacle’s Yoga by the Sea Classes
To the Editor: Why has the Barnacle State Park stopped offering its Yoga by the Sea class? According to the “Friends” of the Barnacle Society, it is not making enough money. And yes, sometimes there are a dozen people, and sometimes just a couple. But money is NOT the point[Read More…]














